Beef producers set direction & priorities for coming year

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Published on Tuesday, February 17, 2015

By Kate Jackman-Atkinson

The Neepawa Banner

At the Manitoba Beef Producers annual general meeting, members voted on resolutions to set the direction of MBP policy for the upcoming year.  Resolutions were put forward by members at last fall’s district meetings and on Feb. 5, cattle producers from across the province debated and cast their votes.

Many of the resolution reflected the current high price of cattle, as well as the hardships producers have faced due to recent flooding.

The debate kicked off with a resolution that MBP continue to investigate dealer assurance programming.  While this has been an ongoing concern, the current high price of cattle has made the potential losses to producers from buyer default much greater. Potential solutions include higher bonds for buyers or a fund set up with money from producers. Producers were split on the best way to deal with this issue but carried the resolution, allowing MBP to continue to examine alternatives, including the programs in place elsewhere in Canada.

Beef producers passed a resolution to lobby the provincial government for a better brand registry; one that is more accessible and contains clearer guidelines to minimize ineffective branding and negative animal welfare consequences.  With the potential losses from cattle theft rising, producers who have had cattle stolen had much more effective service from brand inspectors and auction marts outside the province, where there are stronger brand registry systems in place.

Producers debated a few resolutions regarding TB testing and its impact on animals and producers. Producers passed a resolution to lobby the federal and provincial governments to provide compensation of $16/head to cover the time to muster the animals for testing and the loss of animal production due to testing. This value was based on figures calculated by the provincial government.

In 2014, flooding impacted many producers and resulted in a number of flood-related resolutions. Producers carried a resolution asking that the provincial and federal governments expand the needs-based forage assistance program to include the entire province.   They also passed a resolution to lobby the provincial government in regards to excess moisture deductibles in areas declared disasters and that the increase in deductibles be waived the year following a disaster.

Some producers had crown land that was inaccessible due to flooding last year. This issue led attendees to pass a resolution asking MBP to lobby the provincial government to review Crown Land policies. They want to ensure that producers with land impacted by flooding can retain the right to use the lands, but at a reduced rental rate, until normal production can resume.  Producers would continue to pay the municipal taxes on the Crown land.

Since flooding five years ago, provincial roads 415 and 416 in the Interlake have been closed, leaving about 500 square miles of land in the Shoal lakes with no east to west roads.  This has had an impact on all facets of the economy in that area, including access to emergency services. Producers approved a resolution that would see MBP lobby the province for the reopening of the roads. They also approved a resolution calling for a controlled drain of the Shoal lakes.

Water levels on Lake Manitoba were also a concern to the province’s beef producers, who passed a resolution in support of lobbying the province to honour their own recommended operating range for Lake Manitoba of 810 to 812 feet above sea level. They also approved a resolution calling for an outlet from Lake Manitoba to match the daily inflows from the Portage Diversion. Producers also voted that MBP continue to support organizations involved in long-term water management strategies that support enhanced agricultural practices.

Producers passed a resolution to lobby the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) for reasonable enforcement of CCIA tagging when animals are transported to vet clinics and then returning to their herd or origin. Cattle being transported must have CCIA tags, however, because the tags often fall out, producers don’t generally tag their animals until they leave for slaughter.  

Producers have run into problems when they have to take their animals to the vet clinic for emergency treatment, but must first set up a handling system in order to tag the animal before leaving the farm. Additionally, if a calf were to be born at the clinic, say through cesarean section, and die before leaving, it too would have to be tagged.

Producers transporting untagged animals to vet clinics face being reported to CFIA by the vests, who have been tasked with enforcement. Producers strongly objected to the lack of common sense in this regulation as well as turning vets, with whom they do business, into police. Producers supported traceability, but thought that when the animal was returning to its home herd or simply being transported to a vet clinic to make use of their better facilities, the animal shouldn’t be required to be tagged.

As part of this resolution, producers also wanted a venue for CFIA to hear concerns from producers to ensure their continued support for traceability systems. The resolution received unanimous support.

In response to the loss of calves to predators, producers voted unanimously to lobby the province for an incentive for trappers and hunters to deal with wolves in problem areas and stop the relocation of problem animals. They also voted for MBP to lobby MASC to pay producers enough to cover all reasonable costs associated with treating predator-slashed calves and to remove the 10 per cent deductible on predation claims.

Ensuring the viability of slaughter plants and packers is important to beef producers who want more competition among buyers of their stock.  To this end, producers voted to lobby the provincial and federal governments to enable packers to reduce the costs associated with the removal and disposal of Specified Risk Materials.  This was important in the wake of BSE, but the high costs have led to the closure of plants and put Canadian beef at a disadvantage.

In response to concerns over hunting at night, producers approved a resolution to ask Manitoba Conservation and Water Stewardship to produce and make public a map that clearly displays the areas of the province in which the government departments deem night lighting to be a safe practice.  Currently, the Manitoba Hunting Guide states, “Status Indians may not discharge a rifle or shotgun at night where it is dangerous to do so,” but provides no clarification as to which areas of the province are safe and which aren’t. While producers don’t want to limit treaty rights, producers provide habitat for wildlife and are concerned about public safety and the safety of their animals.

The last resolution discussed dealt with land expropriation for BiPole III. Producers passed a resolution asking MBP to lobby Manitoba Hydro and the provincial government for assurances of substantive two-way discussions about transmission line routes and tower placement, fair compensation, choice of payment methods, access to an independent appeal process and an ongoing mechanism to address any concerns that might arise due to the construction, operation or maintenance of the towers.