JUNE 17, 2020
News Advertiser PAGE 13
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Why is Meat so Expensive Right Now??? Stawnichy’s Submitted As many of you have undoubtedly noticed, the prices of beef and pork at your local grocery store have skyrocketed lately and this couldn’t happen at a worse time for most consumers. This is a very complicated time with all that is happening around us in the world and to make matters worse, now consumers have to deal with price gouging from the major slaughterhouses. We couldn’t be more furious and disheartened to see this happening when people are already struggling enough. Thousands of Albertans have lost their jobs, many are struggling financially, and now we also have to deal with out of control, greedy abattoirs trying to take further advantage of consumers who are already finding it hard to make ends meet. If the rest of the supply chain was seeing any of the benefit of higher beef/ pork prices, it might make some feel better. However, the truth is… ranchers and producers are not seeing any higher profits for their animals than before, despite the dramatic increase in prices from the slaughterhouses. Beef and pork prices have risen over 50 percent in the last 4 weeks alone. This is absolutely unheard of and a travesty to the hardworking people of Alberta, who are already facing enough economic uncertainty. Supply and demand can be blamed for a portion of this increase, but in the end, there is blatant price gouging occurring. Ranchers and producers are struggling too, with many having to euthanize their animals because they can’t get their animals into these slaughterhouses, as they have had to reduce capacity due to highly publicized issues related to COVID-19. The reason for the lack of capacity is because jointly the federal and provincial governments have been working to fund the consolidation of the slaughterhouse industry over the last 10-15 years with taxpayer’s money. They have paid producers to go out of business, and have forced smaller abattoirs to close due to lack of available product. They essentially have created a massive monopoly with 2-3 major slaughterhouses, and thousands of employees working in each location, and have done so under the guise of “efficiency” and “lower prices”. Now, these mega-slaughterhouses are having issues due to COVID-19 and are looking, once again, to the various lev-
els of government to bail them out. This was an issue that was inevitably going to occur, with the centralization of meat production coming from a small number of locations. They now, again, have their hands out for help, and are using YOUR tax dollars to gouge YOU at the grocery store. Unfortunately, that leaves many producers who rely on these raw inputs to produce your food, with no option but to raise their prices to survive – which does nothing but hurt the
We are sorry that it has come to this, but a price increase is the only way we can continue operations. We will continue to fight as hard as we can for the people of Alberta for a fair system – one that doesn’t allow for large manufacturers to take advantage of consumers under the cover of a worldwide pandemic. We will continue to fight for our western Canadian pork and beef producers who work tirelessly to feed your families every single day.
consumer. We are in no different situation, and that is leading us to have to raise our prices for the first time in over 6 years. This is not a decision we take lightly, but one we must make to survive as a business. There are many ways to help this situation. The first is to lobby your local MLA, Alberta’s Minister of Agriculture Devin Dreeshen (AF.minister@gov.ab.ca), Premier Jason Kenney (premier@gov.ab.ca), Federal Agriculture Minister, the Honourable Marie-Claude Bibeau (Marie-Claude. Bibeau@parl.gc.ca), and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. They must be made aware that the consumers of this province will not stand for being REMINDER taken advantage of during these already difficult economic times. The Town of Vegreville issued the 2020 combined Secondly, the system must be fixed to assessment and property tax notices to ratepayers on May 11, provide fair prices for beef and pork 2020. In light of COVID-19, Town Council has made every producers, while protecting the coneffort to ensure residents receive support from their local sumers of Alberta. A move to smaller government during tax season by making adjustments to the abattoirs is essential to keeping this Town’s typical processes. kind of power out of the hands of 2 or 3 major companies – and prevents this kind of pricing abuse. We must create Property Tax Payments are due by June 30, 2020. resiliency in the food chain, and having If you have not yet received your combined assessment and a network of smaller producers, abatproperty tax notice, please contact the Town of Vegreville toirs and reduced government regulation is the only way to keep these kinds or email Taxation Clerk at 780-632-2606 of abuses of the system from happening. propertytaxes@vegreville.com. It’s the only way to keep the hard workThe following payment options are available: ing people of Alberta employed, and not facing economic ruin. If there is money to be thrown at this industry, it 1. Sign-up for The Town of Vegreville pre-authorized should be thrown at diversification away withdrawal program, or Tax Installment Payment from the monopoly that previous govProgram (TIPP). TIPP is a monthly tax installment ernments have allowed, and more spepayment plan by which taxpayers may make a consecutive cifically, pushed to happen.
2. 3. 4. 5. 6.
monthly payment for taxes rather than a single annual payment. For information on how to register, visit www.vegreville.com/town-services/finances-taxes/tipp Pay online or by phone through your bank. Pay in person at most banks and financial institutions. Mail your cheque payable to the Town of Vegreville at The Town of Vegreville, PO Box 640, Vegreville, Alberta, T9C 1R7 Submit your payment anytime through the mail drop-off box located at the Town Office. Pay at the Town Office between 9:00 am – 4:30 pm Monday to Friday. Please note – we have measures in place to adhere to distancing protocols and hours/operations are subject to change.
Town of Vegreville Administration Office 4829 50 Street, Vegreville, Alberta, T9C 1R7
