Aug. 23, 2005 - The Canadian Cattlemen’s Association (CCA) Board of Directors held its Semi-Annual Meeting and Convention August 17 – 19 in Kamloops, B.C. The meetings focused on improving the long-term sustainability and viability of the industry.

CCA President Stan Eby stated “The Canadian cattle industry is emerging from this crisis stronger and with a renewed focus on improving long-term stability and viability”.

The importance of the current WTO negotiations was discussed at length, and the CCA is looking forward to representing Canadian cattle producers at the WTO Ministerial Conference in Hong Kong in December. It is expected that Canada will be the third largest beef exporter in the world in 2005, and a substantial increase in market access is necessary. “Meat is the most protected commodity in the world, with an average tariff of 80%. This round of trade negotiations will be the only opportunity for this generation to “fix” the problems in the international market,” stated Brad Wildeman, Chair of the Foreign Trade Committee.

Canadian beef marketing organizations have been challenged to respond to unique circumstances over the past two years. With the increase in product due to the expansion in slaughter capacity, this challenge will continue. With the reopening of the border to live cattle, priority has shifted to ensuring that Canada’s expanded beef processing sector is maintained and strengthened. A ten year plan is in the final stages of development that includes efforts to continue to expand boxed beef and value-added exports; increase beef’s market share relative to other protein sources; and optimizing carcass utilization and promoting new innovation. As a market access issue, the CCA Board also passed a resolution directing the Foreign Trade Committee to further examine and report back to the Board the potential positive and negative impacts of permitting BSE testing for the purpose of market access.

Another key discussion item was reinforcing the urgent need to increase the quantity of birth date records in the Canadian Cattle Identification Agency’s (CCIA) database. A working group has been struck to collaborate with CCIA to encourage producers to submit their birth records. CCA has identified that compiling a significant number of age records for the 2005 calf crop could be instrumental in providing the Canadian industry with a significant competitive advantage in the world beef market.

Updates on the current border situation were also a highlight of the meetings. Judge Cebull of the U.S. District Court, Montana Division has not released his decision on the future direction in his court of the hearing for a permanent injunction against live Canadian cattle and beef. There is no limit on the amount of time that Judge Cebull may take to announce his decision. R-CALF also has the option of appealing the Ninth Circuit Court decision to overturn the preliminary injunction. R-CALF has 45 days from the date the Ninth Circuit Court released its decision (July 25) to appeal.

At the July Ministers’ meeting in Kananaskis, there was discussion to move to a fee-based approach as a replacement for the Canadian Agricultural Income Stabilizations (CAIS) program deposit. A resolution was passed that the annual fee be set at a rate of .15 (point-one-five) percent of a producer’s reference margin. The Board will also request that the Federal Government design a disaster relief program in the event of natural or like-natural disasters in the future. It is CCA’s position that the CAIS program was not designed to address an industry-wide disaster such as the BSE crisis, and that a disaster relief program needs to be designed in advance of any future unforeseen events.

The Board reaffirmed its policy adopted in 1998 that CCA does not support the importation of unapproved drugs for producers’ own use. The cattle industry has committed to follow the recommendations and intent of quality assurance programs, and the use of unapproved drugs is contradictory to these. The CCA continues to encourage harmonization between Canadian and U.S. veterinary drug approvals to ensure a level playing field in the area of input costs.

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