Beef cattle priorities - FEDERAL ELECTION 2021 CANADIAN CATTLEMEN'S ASSOCIATION - The Canadian Cattlemen's Association
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CANADIAN CATTLEMEN'S ASSOCIATION FEDERAL ELECTION 2021 beef cattle priorities
about Canadian Beef Producers
QUICK FACTS
The Canadian Cattlemen's Association (CCA) represents approximately 60,000 beef
farmers and ranchers across Canada.
The Canadian beef sector contributes $21.8 billion to gross domestic product at market
prices and supports 347,672 full-time equivalent jobs.
Approximately 98 per cent of Canadian farms and ranches are family owned and operated
and are located in every Canadian province; the average herd size is 69 head of cattle.
Canadian beef producers are stewards of over 44 million acres of native and tame
grasslands that store at least 1.5 billion tonnes of carbon and annually sequester an
additional amount of carbon emissions equivalent to that of 3.6 million cars.
While contributing substantially to the Canadian economy, the beef industry only accounts
for 2.4 per cent of the country’s total greenhouse gas (GHG) footprint. Canadian beef has
one of the lowest GHG footprints per unit of production in the world, roughly half the
global average.
Through responsible stewardship of Canada’s natural resources, the Canadian beef industry
will continue to contribute to the growth of Canada’s green economy. The Canadian beef
industry has a unique ability to deliver significant environmental benefits including carbon
storage and sequestration, wildlife habitat preservation, food loss and waste avoidance, and
flood resiliency. While largely unrecognized, Canada's beef industry is the single
largest Canadian protector of the quickly disappearing grassland ecosystem. The
beef industry’s goal setting initiative [see Appendix A] encourages even greater improvements
and will be discussed on page 4.
Canadian beef is a nutritious source of animal protein, a high-quality source of iron and other
energizing nutrients. Due to its affordability and cattle’s suitability for the Canadian landscape,
beef is a cultural staple in many households across the nation. Now more than ever, beef’s
role in achieving food security, conserving the environment and growing Canada's economy is
critical.
01
platform priorities
As political parties determine their election platforms, CCA welcomes all parties to
consider the beef sector's policy priorities both for platform documents and if elected,
inclusion in their governing mandate letters.
Climate Policy & Nature Based Solutions. Have the beef sector recognized as a key
part of the solution in fighting climate change and maintaining biodiversity. Elevate the
ability for farmers and ranchers to participate in and benefit from investments in natural
climate solutions. Continue to push back against misguided climate policies while
advancing the Canadian cattle industry’s tremendous environmental record.
Trade and Market Access. Increase the capacity and efficiency of beef trade potential.
Continue to grow and improve access for Canadian beef in key markets (China, European
Union, United Kingdom). Remove remaining BSE-era limits to regain market access.
Economic Resiliency. Enhance the economic resiliency and competitiveness of the
Canadian beef industry. Ensure the long-term challenges of labour shortages are
addressed.
Innovation and Research. Invest in strategic research and innovation adoption and
uphold the Canadian cattle industry as the global model for sustainable beef production.
Animal Health. Strengthen Canada’s ability to respond and proactively address animal
health and care and develop stable funding for national animal health surveillance.
Rural Communities. Build strong rural communities by investing in broadband internet
access, rural mental health programming and in infrastructure and services that make
rural Canada an attractive place to live and work.
COVID-19 Pandemic recovery
During the COVID-19 pandemic, the need for a stable food supply chain was emphasized, with
consumers noting shortages in the grocery stores and governments marking agriculture and
agri-food an essential service. The Canadian beef industry continued to provide a stable
supply of beef to Canadians and to our global trading partners throughout the
pandemic. Agriculture, specifically the beef sector, is well positioned to lead Canada’s
economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.
According to Export Development Canada, from 2008 to 2017 Canada’s agricultural exports
grew three times faster than the overall Canadian average, confirming that agricultural
products are a net cash generator for Canada’s economy and an area for continued growth.
02
Recommendations
Based on our platform priorities for the federal government,
CCA recommends the following specific actions:
1. Recognize the beef sector as a key part of the solution in fighting
climate change and maintaining biodiversity and consider the beef
industry goals (see Appendix A) for future government environmental
policies, including conserving grasslands.
2. Support the expansion of CPTPP and broadening market access for
Canadian beef offal and over thirty- month beef in numerous Asian
markets.
3. Support a full free trade agreement with the United Kingdom, built
upon the foundations of CPTPP, which would lead to their natural
accession to the agreement.
4. Provide sufficient government resources to enable the timely
optimization of current trade agreements similar to what competitors
are doing.
5. Ensure competitiveness of Canada’s processing sector through
aligning our regulatory environment with the US. Work to ensure
Canada has a resilient processing sector that can deal with seasonal
surges or any potential interruptions in processing.
6. Make Livestock Price Insurance a permanent risk management
program and broaden the program to include cattle producers in
Maritime provinces.
7. Make modifications to the Livestock Tax Deferral provision that would
better enable producers to self-elect when the tool can be utilized and
ensure all cattle are eligible under the deferral provision.
8. Enhance AgriStability by increasing the compensation rate from 70%
to 80%; removing, or significantly increasing the current $3 million
payment cap; and increasing the payment trigger from 70% to 85%.
9. Increase applied agriculture research funding investments through
programs like the Science Clusters that support industry productivity
and economic sustainability while advancing key environmental
objectives of benefit to both industry and Canada as a whole.
10. Ensure the development of a stable, long term funding framework for
national animal health, disease, and antimicrobial surveillance.
11. Establish a Canadian foot-and-mouth disease vaccine bank.
12. Commit essential financial investments in rural infrastructure that
includes; irrigation, schools, health care, roads, bridges, expanding
rural broadband internet access, and flood mitigation.
03
environment and climate change
CCA is well-equipped to act as a valued environmental stakeholder of the
federal government, to ensure programs do not unintentionally harm the
environment while continuing to contribute to Canada’s economic
recovery.
Canada is a leader when it comes to sustainable beef production. The Canadian
Roundtable for Sustainable Beef (CRSB) was created to advance sustainability
within the beef industry and includes a collaborative community of stakeholders.
Through CRSB, Canada was the first to create a certified sustainable beef
framework that is being used today by smaller direct marketers as well as
McDonald’s and Chop Steakhouse. Since Canada’s leadership, other jurisdictions
have replicated the CRSB model, demonstrating the need for sustainability in beef
but also showcasing the environmental benefits of beef production.
In Canada, cattle producers care for 35 million acres of temperate native
grasslands. And while it doesn’t often make the headlines, this grassland ecosystem
is disappearing faster than the Amazon rainforests. Since the 1970s, we’ve seen a
staggering loss of nearly 75 per cent of native grasslands through land conversion.
When the grasslands are lost, so are the species that depend on the grasslands for
their habitat. There are currently over 60 species at risk in Canada’s native
grasslands—species that only exist because of continued beef production on the
native grasslands. Beef farmers and ranchers work closely with conservation
partners on grassland habitat and biodiversity maintenance and enhancement, to
protect the grassland ecosystem. Cattle grazing and the continued presence of
livestock on these working landscapes support the conservation of species that
depend on native grasslands, like the Greater Sage Grouse, Burrowing Owl and
many songbirds. Without beef production, these threatened native grasslands are
at risk of conversion and these at-risk species suffer the consequences.
CCA’s environmental priorities stem largely from the beef industry goal setting
initiative [see Appendix A]. CCA recommends these goals be considered for
future government environmental policies, including conserving
grasslands. Along with our national partners, the beef industry has committed to
safeguard the existing 1.5 billion tonnes of carbon stored on lands cared for by
beef farmers and ranchers. We will also sequester an additional 3.4 million tonnes
of carbon every year and reduce primary production GHG emission intensity by 33
per cent by 2030.
Within climate policy & nature based solutions, CCA recommends:
Recognize the beef sector as a key part of the solution in fighting climate
change and maintaining biodiversity.
Elevate the ability for farmers and ranchers to participate in and benefit from
investments in natural climate solutions.
Avoid taxes that push food production to other jurisdictions and rather invest
in strategic research and innovation adoption.
04
Trade
Canada is a world leader in the production of high-
quality beef, with 50 per cent of Canadian beef exported
into over 58 countries.
CCA is pleased with the improved market access that has been
attained in recent years through CUSMA, CKFTA and CPTPP.
CCA strongly supports the continued expansion of free
trade as well as all efforts to maintain and strengthen
the World Trade Organization.
Asia remains a priority for potential economic growth for beef
producers. CCA encourages the expansion of CPTPP and
broadening market access for Canadian beef offal and
over thirty-month beef in numerous Asian markets.
Canada’s higher tariff rate into the South Korean market
compared to competitors and current export limitations within
the market make Canada-South Korean negotiations a high
priority for beef producers. CCA also foresees the U.K., our
largest trading partner under CETA, as an integral market for
Canadian beef and recommends forging ahead with a full
free trade agreement built upon the foundations of
CPTPP, which would lead to their natural accession to
the agreement.
While there is opportunity, current trade challenges must also
be addressed. For example the overall Canada-EU beef trade
deficit (which includes the U.K.) was $0.5 million in 2018, $17.3
million in 2019 and an astounding $96.8 million for 2020. CCA
is significantly concerned with how beef trade with the EU and
U.K. has progressed and has recently requested compensation
to address the concerning imbalance caused by a number of
trade limiting factors. Canada needs to employ sufficient
resources to enable the timely optimization of current
trade agreements similar to what competitors are
doing.
Specific to processing capacity, CCA recommends the
Government of Canada ensure competitiveness of
Canada’s processing sector through aligning our
regulatory environment with the US and work to ensure
Canada has a resilient processing sector that can deal
with seasonal surges or any potential interruptions in
processing.
05
Economic resiliency
The Canadian beef sector has proven time and time again to be economically resilient.
Labour is a significant long term challenge to the agricultural sector's economic resiliency. CCA
recommends the new Agri-Food Immigration Pilot be made permanent to achieve its objective of
filling labour shortages and prioritizes increasing the skills and labour supply of workers in primary
agriculture and agri-food processing.
Business risk management (BRM) programs are crucial to managing risk and supporting the beef
sector's continued economic resiliency. BRM programs should continue to be funded, particularly as
market volatility and extreme weather continues to affect our agricultural environment. Aspects of BRM
programs, ranging from program spending, design or availability provide inequitable coverage amongst
agriculture sectors and regions.
To improve BRM programs CCA recommends making the Livestock Price Insurance (LPI), the
forward-looking, market-based, insurance-style program that allows producers to manage
price risk, a permanent BRM program and broadening LPI to enable participation by cattle
producers in the Maritime provinces. These changes will greatly benefit youth in the cattle industry,
who often don’t have equity to fall back on and allow cattle producers across Canada to have access to a
price insurance program and grow the industry. CCA recommends modifications to the Livestock
Tax Deferral provision be made to better enable producers to self-elect when the tool can be
utilized and ensure all cattle are eligible under the deferral provision. This will enable producers to better
financially adapt in the cases of drought, flooding or fires as these events often force producers to sell
animals such as calves and breeding stock earlier than expected. As a final BRM recommendation, CCA
recommends enhancements to AgriStability by implementing the following changes:
Increase the compensation rate from 70% to 80%.
Remove, or significantly increase the current $3 million payment cap, which discriminates against
larger operations. These operations, in most cases, grew because of competitive operating
practices. These large operations contribute significantly to rural employment and prosperity.
Caps should be removed so that all farm business structures are treated equal and are on a level
playing field.
Increase the payment trigger from 70% to 85%. With multi-year downturns in production
margins during the CAP framework, many producers’ reference margins have significantly eroded
and are already at risk of decreased program coverage for an extended period moving forward.
06
innovation and research
Research and technology transfer are integral to sustainably increase beef production
to meet growing global demand, while also achieving the industry's 2030 goals.
Canada’s beef industry has the opportunity, and demonstrated ability, to continually improve
productivity and its environmental performance, including reductions in GHG emissions and water use,
while maintaining stewardship of air, water and soil resources. Continual innovation within the Canadian
beef industry not only benefits producers and the economy but ensures the maintenance of crucial
grasslands that contribute to carbon sequestration, biodiversity, and wildlife habitat.
To ensure a thriving and sustainable agricultural industry, CCA recommends the Government
increase applied agriculture research funding investments through programs like the Science
Clusters that support industry productivity and economic sustainability while advancing key
environmental objectives of benefit to both industry and Canada as a whole. Ensuring funding
for long-term, high risk research is also critical in areas including plant breeding and variety
development, genetic improvement, and other areas to take advantage of new opportunities presented
by emerging technologies.
Strengthening AAFC’s research infrastructure, including AAFC’s federally inspected research abattoir in
Lacombe, Alberta, to support pre-commercialization research related to productivity, automation,
quality, and food safety is paramount to supporting both export and value-added production objectives.
The ability of Canadian agriculture to address the threats posed by animal pathogens, and emerging
antimicrobial resistance will have major implications for the short and long-term health of Canadian
agriculture, both domestically and internationally. CCA recommends that the government ensure
the development of a stable, long-term funding framework for national animal health,
disease, and antimicrobial surveillance.
07
animal health
CCA fully supports the Animal Health Canada initiative to proactively address the real threat of
a foreign animal disease outbreak that would be catastrophic to the Canadian beef industry.
Canada’s modelling has shown that a foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) outbreak in highly populated livestock
regions would require between 1.9 million and 2.7 million doses of FMD vaccine. Currently, there’s a
significant shortfall in available emergency vaccine, and the 14-week vaccine production timeframe to
produce a vaccine represents a significant risk to our industry and an estimated $65 billion dollar financial
impact to the Canadian economy.
Given the establishment of the US FMD Vaccine Bank and the known catastrophic devastation risk of an
FMD outbreak in Canada, CCA urges AAFC and CFIA to establish a Canadian FMD Bank of 30 million
doses, consisting of 2.5 million doses each of 12 different FMD vaccine concentrates. The
projected annual cost is $3.5 million including potency and licensing testing.
strong rural communities
To access the building blocks of a significant portion of our national economy people must be willing and
eager to live and work in Canada’s rural communities. Rural communities struggle to maintain integral rural
services and infrastructure due to their small tax base. CCA encourages governments to work
together to quickly implement rural broadband as part of a broader suite of rural supports. CCA
recommends committing essential financial investments in rural infrastructure that includes;
irrigation, schools, health care, roads, bridges, expanding rural broadband internet access, and
flood mitigation. Through avenues such as the Canada Infrastructure Bank, these investments will
ensure rural Canada remains an attractive place to live and work.
A specific example is in Manitoba. Flood events around Lake Manitoba have caused hundreds of millions of
dollars in damages and caused extensive socioeconomic and environmental damages. Among those
affected are beef producers. In the case of the 2011 and 2014 floods, the Manitoba government made
strategic decisions to divert large volumes of water through Lake Manitoba to reduce the risk of
catastrophic flooding in Winnipeg and area, compounding flooding on Lake Manitoba. On May 29, 2013 the
Manitoba government announced plans to construct a permanent channel to take water from Lake St.
Martin. The project will also reduce
the likelihood of flooding on both
lakes. CCA asks that the federal
and provincial governments
continue to collaborate to resolve
the outstanding concerns in a
timely manner so that the Lake
Manitoba and Lake St. Martin
Outlet Channels Project can
proceed. Investments in water-
related infrastructure (built and
natural) provide many benefits. With
effective water-management
infrastructure in place, beef producer
confidence will be enhanced,
encouraging growth and investments.
08
contact
CCA looks forward to continuing to advance Canada’s economy,
working with our industry stakeholders, environmental partners, the
federal government, and other stakeholders. Together we can provide
both an environmental and economic benefit to Canada by taking
care of beef cattle on the landscapes and producing a nutritious
protein for Canadians and others around the world.
T o l e a r n w h a t s t e p s t h e p o l i t i c a l p a r t i es will take to advance the Canadian beef priorities, CCA
w i l l s e n d a su r v e y a n d g a t h e r r e s p o n s es from the various political parties.
F o r m o r e i n f o r m a t i o n o r t o s e t u p a m e eting to discuss CCA's policy priorities, please contact:
Jennifer Babcock Fawn Jackson Dennis Laycraft
Senior Manager, Government Relations Director of Policy and International Affairs Executive Vice-President
babcockj@cattle.ca jacksonf@cattle.ca laycraftd@cattle.ca
WWW.CATTLE.CA
JULY 20, 2021
09Appendix A: beef industry goals
1011
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