“After extensive producer engagement and input from provincial beef organizations, the Canadian Cattle Association (CCA) does not support proceeding with the Canadian Food Inspection Agency’s (CFIA) currently proposed amendments to Part XV of the Health of Animals Regulations (Identification and Traceability),” the organization said in a post to social media on Monday.

It added that it supports livestock traceability for disease preparedness, market access and confidence in the beef sector. The association said it and provincial groups will convene a task force “to work for producers on a risk-based, industry-led approach to disease preparedness and emergency management.”

The stance comes after outcry from beef producers across Canada earlier this year, who expressed concerns about “government overreach” and burdensome regulation.

The changes, which included reporting animal move-ins within seven days and more robust requirements around premise identification numbers and required reporting, were first intended to roll out this spring. The Canadian Food Inspection said in January that it would pause the publication of proposed amendments after hearing producer concerns.

The proposed regulations are aligned with the industry-led Cattle Implementation Plan, which was established by all sectors of industry at the National Cattle Traceability Summit in August 2011 and adopted in 2016.

On Jan. 9, CCA president Tyler Fulton posted a message to social media platform X, noting those concerns from membership.

“Be assured the Canadian Cattle Association has and will continue to advocate for a traceability system that works for ranchers and feeders and beef farmers,” he said.

He added, however, that being able to. move quickly to disease threats is key to the beef sector’s business.

“Given the Canadian cattle industry’s reliance on export markets, we need to be prepared and have the tools available to manage animal disease events quickly and efficiently,” he said in the same post.

—With files from Janelle Rudolph

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“CCA has launched an online traceability feedback survey to ensure that producers have an opportunity to share their feedback,” the organization said on social media.

It includes 15 questions, including the importance of traceability to the Canadian beef industry, level of support for “enhancing” the current traceability system and the regulations’ importance to producers.

This gathering of information comes nearly one month after the Canadian Food Inspection Agency announced that it was pausing the publication of proposed amendments to Part XV of the Health of Animals Regulations, which that was intended to occur this spring.

The move followed weeks of outcry from beef producers across Canada.

The proposed regulations are aligned with the Cattle Implementation Plan, which was established by all sectors of industry at the National Cattle Traceability Summit in August 2011 and adopted in 2016. A summary of the plan can be found on the CCIA website.

Many worry that the regulations will unnecessarily burdensome for those who raise, move, feed, and purchase animals.

Across social media platforms and at meetings, producers expressed concern with “government overreach” and said they would not comply with the regulations.

Many producers and provincial organizations also said there had been insufficient communication on the part of industry leaders, the CFIA and the Canadian Cattle Identification Agency.

“The Canadian Cattle Association has, and will continue, to advocate for traceability systems that work for ranchers and feeders and beef farmers,” CCA president Tyler Fulton said in an X video Jan 9.

“Given the Canadian cattle industry’s reliance on export markets, we need to be prepared and have the tools available to manage animal disease events quickly and efficiently.”

Local cattle associations such as Alberta Beef Producers and the Saskatchewan Cattle Association have scheduled producer meetings, with SCA hosting two traceability information meetings in February, weeks after the annual general meeting where traceability and the CFIA were the hottest topics.

“We encourage Saskatchewan producers to take a few minutes to participate and ensure your experience and concerns are reflected in ongoing discussions around traceability,” said SCA on social media.

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“Back in the summer, the Alberta Beef Producer board and executive started to reach out to delegates and directors within the organization and have discussions about where we were at with CCA and working with Marketing Council on some of the recommendations,” said Doug Roxburgh, chair of ABP at a producers meeting in Leduc on Jan. 26.

WHY IT MATTERS: Alberta Beef Producers’ withdrawal from the Canadian Cattle Association could have big financial implications for both sides.

ABP is not an organization or association, rather it’s a commission that makes it bound to regulations put forward by Marketing Council on behalf of the minister of agriculture and irrigation.

“There was a lot of discussion about the withdrawal itself. I think the biggest thing about the withdrawal comes back to the finance side of things. Right now, ABP has made a three-year contract with CCA, and we pay CCA on retained marketings,” said Roxburgh, who ranches near Bentley.

The finances

A certain percentage of Albertan beef producers ask for their check off dollars to be returned to them, which is an option available to all producers.

In previous negotiations, prior to the agreement that ABP and CCA are in right now, ABP was still paying CCA on full marketing.

“Even if we gave producers their 53 cents back, we were still contributing that 53 cents to CCA. Our goal was that we would stay on retained marketings with CCA,” said Roxburgh.

CCA began to discuss the desire for an increase in check off dollars, with funds essentially coming from the provinces. Since it has the largest number of cattle producers, Alberta contributes the most.

In March 2026, CCA will vote on their new budget, and if they decide to charge ABP full marketings, ABP is essentially bound to pay them back.

“The big reason for the withdrawal was essentially to put kind of a buffer, stopgap between us and CCA. It gave CCA the ability to vote on whatever budget they wanted, but we were no longer tied to anything that could financially hurt ABP,” said Roxburgh.

The proposed withdrawal gave ABP the time to organize and work out a proper budget going forward.

“We want to stay on retained marketings, but we’ve also agreed that every province should have the option to retain. We don’t want Alberta to be special in terms of how our agreement looks,” he said.

CCA is currently fully financed and does run a surplus. The organization also has operating reserves.

The governance

The discussion has also been about creating a new governance structure within CCA. ABP currently holds 24 seats at the CCA.

“If you run the math, we’ll never get to 50 per cent representation out of Alberta,” Roxburgh said.

“We don’t want to have a board bigger than it is today.”

Provinces such as Quebec and British Columbia, as well as the Maritimes region need at least one seat on the board.

All the provincial organizations involved with CCA were able to get together and discuss potential changes for CCA at meetings that were held last December.

“There are a lot of great ideas coming out of a lot of the provinces,” said Roxburgh.

“There have been a lot of suggestions about how CCA will look going forward, and other provinces have been huge contributors. They’ve been there every step of the way,” he said.

ABP now has a structure to do a series of votes with their board and delegates to see if they want to re-enter CCA.

Roxburgh said there is no guaranteed timeline.

“July 31 is when our current agreement runs out. We will say CCA has an operating reserve that gives them quite a lot of money to still operate without making any changes to their organization for quite some time. I think it’s important that ABP makes sure everything’s in place,” he said.

People have said it is trivial for ABP to pull out of CCA for financial reasons, he added.

“There was a potential that it was going to have a negative impact on ABP, somewhere between $400,000 to $600,000 a year, which would decimate ABP the way it is today. We’ve got great structure in place, if for whatever reason, we don’t get everything resolved with CCA. We have the ability to do our part in Ottawa,” Roxburgh said.

Government officials, both provincial and federal, have reached out to ABP to offer support, and there have been collaborations between ABP and CCA.

“I’m very confident we’re in a good place that way,” he said.

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Brocklebank is currently the executive director of the Beef Cattle Research Council (BCRC), a division of the Canadian Cattle Association.

Brocklebank will be replacing executive vice president Dennis Laycraft, who is retiring. Laycraft will be maintaining business as usual until the leadership transition takes place in March.

Brockleback was chosen based on the reccomendation of an executive recruitment firm.

“She’s been leading the BCRC for about 20 years and it’s grown tremendously over that time, including building a reputation for being a very trusted, credible organization that keeps producers at the centre of all its decisions,” said BCRC communications director Tracy Herbert.

During that time, the research council has funded important research and collaborated with many other groups.

“Our extension and knowledge mobilization portfolio started under Andrea’s leadership and has grown tremendously as well,” Herbert said.

“Andrea was born and raised on a beef operation and manages it now with her husband, so she’s very grounded in the realities of production and takes a very pragmatic approach and strategic forward-thinking approach to her leadership.”

“Working with Andrea for the past 15 years, I’ve watched and been inspired by her qualities, which are integrity, resilience, humility and clarity, and she has led a fantastic culture here at the BCRC,” Herbert said.

”It’s a culture of pragmatism, respectfulness and curiosity, and those are some of the qualities that have contributed to her success, her positive impact and her collaboration. Those will serve her very well at the CCA.”

The CEO role is new to the Canadian Cattle Association. CCA president Tyler Fulton said it was chosen because it more accurately represents the role of the senior staff member.

Herbert will be BCRC’s interim executive director. She has led the BCRC’s knowledge mobilization and communications program since 2011.

Herbert lives in Lloydminster. Her family operates a mixed farm between Neilburg and Maidstone, Sask.

-Updated Jan. 7

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Elliot, 30, is the manager of forage and grazing research at Olds College in the Technology Access Centre for Livestock Production. She sits on the board of directors for the Western Stock Growers Association, and is the mother of two young children, ages 3 and 4.

“The winner is selected from this year’s Canadian Cattle Young Leader’s program (CYL). You’re nominated by your peers, and then it’s decided by a panel of judges that are various people from the Canadian Cattle Association (CCA), and the Canadian Cattle Foundation (CCF),” she said. People affiliated with the Reg Schellenberg Award are also involved.

Elliot said there are thorough interviews with judges as part of the evaluation process. The award was presented at the CCA annual general meeting, held this year in Québec City at the beginning of September.

She said receiving the award was overwhelming, because it was presented onstage, and she was not aware that this would happen beforehand.

“It was incredibly humbling, and I was super grateful to be recognized in memory of someone who gave so much to the industry. I think Reg was an incredible person,” she said.

Reg Schellenberg, who ranched at Beechy, Sask., was president of the Canadian Cattle Association when he passed away suddenly in December 2022. Lynn Grant, a cow/calf and grasser from Val Marie, Sask., is affiliated with the Canadian Cattle Foundation, and sits on the board of directors of CCA. He said Reg was always supportive of the CYL program, which started in 2010.

“The impressive thing is there’s a fair bit of a selection process for the CYL program. They apply and I guess there are at least two rounds of selections to come down to the 16 that receive the bursaries and get matched with a mentor for a year,” said Grant.

“In Reg’s term as both a board member and as president, he brought a lot of the young leaders to Parliament Hill to give them a taste of lobbying activities the CCA does there. Reg saw the potential of young people and was adamant that we had to do everything we could to get them into industry politics. So that’s partly how the award got started when Reg unexpectedly passed away,” said Grant.

After Reg’s passing, the Schellenberg family asked that donations be made to the Canadian Cattle Foundation to support the CYL program. The Saskatchewan Cattle Association also donated $10,000 toward the fund.

Grant said criteria for award winners focuses on people who have a positive attitude in agriculture, the ability to network and bring people together for a common cause

“There are some people that just have that ability to create a unified group and gather people in a quiet, positive way,” he said. “There are people who have that magnetic influence that they can confidently speak up on an issue and create a bit of a following,” said Grant.

Elliot was a participant in this year’s CYL program, and was matched with Melissa Downing, a rancher from Metiskow, Alta. Downing is the director of regulatory and sustainability with the Alberta Cattle Feeders’ Association. Downing also has significant experience with research through her time serving on the board of directors of Results Driven Agricultural Research (RDAR).

Elliot said Downing was an amazing mentor.

“She was super supportive and offered a lot of guidance throughout the year with different instructions,” she said.

Elliot said she had created a road map as a plan for her mentorship, and she and Downing worked through it.

“A lot of my work was around sustainability. She offered me some guidance on the research side, with her background with RDAR. She also gave me a lot of information around policy standpoints,” she said.

The two also worked on communications and marketing.

“I do a lot of communications, because I’ve been trying to help with that area with some of the organizations that I’ve involved with. So that was great. And then, with networking, she was amazing at introducing me to a wide range of people that I think will be lifelong connections,” she said.

The Reg Schellenberg Next Generation Award contenders are nominated by their peers in the CYL program.

The peer nomination was extremely humbling, said Elliot.

“The CYL nominated who they thought was kind of the best out of the year to fit that outline, and then they judged us afterward,” she said. Usually, three CYL participants are nominated for the award, but this year, there was a tie, and five people were nominated.

“It was an incredible honour, given how hard the CYL program is to get into in the first place. It felt pretty amazing to be nominated by people that I’ve made some pretty close connections with and that I’ll be able to keep in touch with throughout my life,” said Elliot.

“This kind of recognition motivates me to keep contributing to the industry, an industry that is so focused on not only innovation, but tradition. I’m just super grateful for the Canadian Cattle Association, and the Canadian Cattle Foundation and the Schellenberg family and the legacy through all of this.

“It’s a chance to represent other young producers and encourage the next generation. I think that’s a big thing for me. I’m pretty involved in mentoring, not only students, but other young people in the industry,” she said.

The award recognizes young people who are committed to carrying forward the future of the industry, said Elliot.

In mid-September, Elliot had the opportunity to have lunch with Reg’s wife Shannon and daughter Stacey.

Elliot also appreciated the way the program was able to accommodate her children.

“They come to a lot of events with me, come out to the field to do research with me, so they’ve been pretty involved in the whole journey,” she said.

“That’s another piece I’d like to focus on, is about how amazingly supportive the whole cattle industry is about having family, and that involvement. It’s challenging at times with juggling the kids and all this stuff. But … everybody in the industry has been so great and welcoming in that sense,” she said.

As part of the award, Elliot will receive a travel bursary to the Saskatchewan Beef Industry Conference in January 2026, and a custom-made belt buckle provided by the Schellenberg family.

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“When the board began discussing the future of our relationship with the Canadian Cattle Association, it quickly became clear that this was a decision that required broader input,” said Doug Roxburgh, ABP chair.

The board initiated a consultation process with its delegate body. There were several opportunities for discussion, most notably a virtual delegate meeting on Aug. 11.

“Following these conversations, the delegates voted strongly in support of withdrawal. With that clear mandate, the board proceed to vote and voted on the decision,” said Roxburgh, who raises cattle near Bentley, Alta.

He said the move was rooted in governance, transparency and accountability, adding the decision was not made lightly.

“These are values we believe must be reflected in any organization representing Alberta beef producers. We sent a list of the key factors that led to the outcome to the CCA. It is important to us that the CCA be the first to know the reasoning,” he said.

Roxburgh said ABP has significant concern regarding the fiscal transparency at the CCA and recommended the CCA form a dedicated governance committee.

“We also suggested engaging an independent third-party to conduct a comprehensive review of CCA’s governance structure, with input from elected representatives,” he said.

Provincial funding assessments need to be based on retained marketings across all provinces, to ensure fairness and consistency.

“We also urge the unfreezing of board seats and a revision of the representation formula,” said Roxburgh.

“None of our suggestions are new to the CCA. Despite our efforts in asking for change, we have not seen meaningful progression or willingness to address these concerns,” he said.

CCA does not have a finance chair, said Roxburgh.

“We certainly understand there’s a potential for reduced marketings across Canada as the cow herd across Canada decreases, and so at ABP, we’ve worked hard to start to put a plan in place as to what our fiscal projection looks like with the potential of reduced marketings,” he said.

ABP has not been able to get a clear answer on what CCA plans to do in the event of reduced marketings.

Tyler Fulton, president of the CCA, said ABP’s decision was both a shock and not a shock.

“It was a shock to get such a stark announcement,” said Fulton, who raises cattle and has a small cropping entreprise near Birtle, Man.

“We didn’t see that coming.”

However, CCA said they had been working on the matter with ABP.

Roxburgh said ABP’s concern with CCA began about five years ago. An interim agreement between CCA and ABP started three years ago.

“In fact, it was a primary agenda for our September meeting, where we focussed on addressing the funding issue, and Alberta had referenced the likelihood that they’d like to revisit their representation on the CCA,” he said.

Fulton said the issues raised by ABP are not surprise issues.

“They made it very clear we had to address it, and so we were down that pathway, but didn’t really expect the negotiating tactic that they announced,” he said.

Fulton said having a smaller herd in Canada will likely affect CCA.

“The last three years, we’ve been on what I call an interim agreement that Alberta’s contributions to CCA were dependent on their service that they were able to retain that didn’t get refunded. The three-year agreement ends in June of 2026, and reflected a temporary measure, with the understanding that we would work towards a longer-term solution,” he said.

CCA is supported financially by all the provinces, but Alberta contributes the most because it has the largest cattle population. The funding from Alberta represents half of CCA’s financial resources on an annual basis, and so ABP’s departure would have a significant effect on CCA’s operations, and cause disruption.

“It’s a complicated scenario when one of the provincial members is looking for changes, because it’s not CCA’s authority to go and unilaterally change something. It has to work with all its members,” he said.

Fulton said he has heard ABP wants CCA to have more fiscal transparency.

“I think that’s a valid criticism,” he said. “CCA has a really complicated organizational structure, not just with the relationship between the provincial associations and CCA, but also divisions within CCA.”

The divisions include the Beef Cattle Research Council and CANFAX.

Fulton added that there are 80-page financial statements available at all directors’ meetings and the semi-annual meetings. Audited financial statements are available to cattle producers across the country.

Brad Dubeau, general manager of ABP, said ABP has made significant changes to strengthen its organization.

“We’ve streamlined our operations, enhanced our communications, and focused on strengthening the producer driven commission,” he said.

Dubeau said the changes better serve Albertan cattle producers.

“We are committed to continuous improvement and progress at ABP, and we hope to see the same commitment reflected in the organizations that we support,” he said.

ABP has a short-term plan in place to ensure Alberta’s voice continues to be heard provincially, nationally and internationally.

“We’re committed to keeping producers engaged and informed throughout the transition,” he said.

ABP’s financial obligations to CCA will continue until June 30, 2026.

“We are fully committed at ABP to honour that agreement,” said Roxburgh.

ABP’s decision to leave CCA won’t affect funding to the Canadian Beef Check-off Agency or its service providers, including the Beef Cattle Research Council, Public and Stakeholder Engagement and Canada Beef.

Roxburgh said ABP will continue to talk to CCA in the next few months.

“Our hope is for a strong national organization that ABP is part of, that’s truthfully what we want to see,” he said.

“It’s my desire and it’s been communicated to me that there’s a desire from Alberta Beef Producers’ executive to really work through these issues, have them return as a full member, in whatever new arrangement can be negotiated,” said Fulton.

He said his desire is to work through this rift.

“We have a long history despite this. We have a long history of collaborating and cooperating on so many different files, whether it be business risk management, or international advocacy work,” he said.

Fulton said CCA would be reaching out to other provincial cattle associations.

“It’s a complicated process because everyone is going to have their own perspective on it, and quite simply, CCA is driven by all of those different interests,” he said.

“We’ll work through it. I’m optimistic that we’re going to be able to come out further ahead and really address the concerns ABP has put forward. I spoke to Doug Roxburgh yesterday in person. I’m confident that we’ll be able to resolve this, especially after speaking with him.”

The post ABP opens up about leaving CCA appeared first on Alberta Farmer Express.

The decision was made following extensive decision and strategic review by the board of ABP.

In a press release, Doug Roxburgh, chair of ABP, said national organizations like the CCA must deliver value to Alberta’s cattle producers.

He said ABP has high standards for fiscal transparency, governance and communications, and they expect the same from the organizations they are involved with.

“The CCA does not meet those standards,” said Roxburgh, who raises cattle near Bentley.

“After seeing no meaningful progress or willingness to change, we’ve made the decision to withdraw our membership,” he said.

Roxburgh said ABP has a duty to Albertan producers to make sure their dollars are invested in organizations that reflect and advance the beef industry’s values.

ABP will continue to be fully committed to representing Alberta’s cattle producers and ensure that their interests are advocated for at the provincial and federal levels.

Brad Dubeau, General Manager of ABP, said the organization will continue to deliver strong representation for Alberta’s beef industry.

“In light of the Board’s decision, we have mapped a strong path forward to ensure Alberta’s voice continues to be heard- provincially, nationally and internationally,” he said.

ABP will fulfill all its financial obligations to the CCA until the conclusion of the agreement on June 30, 2026.

ABP currently funds over 50 per cent of the CCA budget through the two-dollar Alberta service charge. ABP’s decision to withdraw from CCA will not affect funding to the Canadian Beef Check-off Agency, or its service providers, which include Canada Beef, Public and Stakeholder Engagement, and the Beef Cattle Research Council.

ABP said its goal is to prioritize the long-term strength and viability of its provincial operations, a decision that will continue to build a resilient, transparent and producer-driven organization that will meet the evolving nature of Alberta’s cattle industry.

The post Alberta Beef Producers announces withdrawal from Canadian Cattle Association appeared first on Alberta Farmer Express.

The decision was made following extensive decision and strategic review by the board of ABP.

In a press release, Doug Roxburgh, chair of ABP, said national organizations like the CCA must deliver value to Alberta’s cattle producers.

He said ABP has high standards for fiscal transparency, governance and communications, and they expect the same from the organizations they are involved with.

“The CCA does not meet those standards,” said Roxburgh, who raises cattle near Bentley.

“After seeing no meaningful progress or willingness to change, we’ve made the decision to withdraw our membership,” he said.

Roxburgh said ABP has a duty to Albertan producers to make sure their dollars are invested in organizations that reflect and advance the beef industry’s values.

ABP will continue to be fully committed to representing Alberta’s cattle producers and ensure that their interests are advocated for at the provincial and federal levels.

Brad Dubeau, general manager of ABP, said the organization will continue to deliver strong representation for Alberta’s beef industry.

“In light of the board’s decision, we have mapped a strong path forward to ensure Alberta’s voice continues to be heard — provincially, nationally and internationally,” he said.

ABP will fulfill all its financial obligations to the CCA until the conclusion of the agreement on June 30, 2026.

ABP currently funds over 50 per cent of the CCA budget through the $2 Alberta service charge. ABP’s decision to withdraw from CCA will not affect funding to the Canadian Beef Check-off Agency, or its service providers, which include Canada Beef, Public and Stakeholder Engagement, and the Beef Cattle Research Council.

ABP’s goal is to prioritize the long-term strength and viability of its provincial operations, a decision that will continue to build a resilient, transparent and producer-driven organization that will meet the evolving nature of Alberta’s cattle industry.

The post Alberta Beef Producers announces withdrawal from Canadian Cattle Association appeared first on Alberta Farmer Express.

“Absolutely nobody knows what’s going to happen,” said Bob Lowe, also president of the Global Roundtable for Sustainable Beef. “We’re awfully thankful we got a 30-day reprieve, but at the end of the 30 days what happens? Absolutely nobody is making any predictions.”

The Canadian beef industry was out in force at the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association’s CattleCon conference in San Antonio, Texas Feb. 4-6.

That put the conference’s opening on tariff day—the day set out by U.S. President Donald Trump as the point that 25 per cent tariffs would come into effect against Canadian and Mexican goods.

When the day dawned, however, Canadian representatives had less reason to be dour than expected. After last-minute deals, Trump announced a 30-day pause in the levies.

While a short-term relief to the beef sector, as well as the rest of Canadian agriculture, the delay did not dissipate industry or offer answers on how producers can protect themselves from the fallout when the 30 days is up.

“We export 50 per cent of our production and 70 per cent of that goes to the U.S.,” Lowe noted. “They are far and above our biggest market. If you put a 25 per cent tariff on that, it hurts. Well, it’s devastating, actually.”

Canada exported nearly 578,000 head of cattle to the U.S. between Jan. 1 and Nov. 30, 2024, a 17 per cent jump from 2023, according to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency.

In it together

The Canadian industry hoped the conference would help them continue their outreach to their U.S. partners, as well as grab the ear of U.S. national and state representatives. The beef sector is among those Canadian agriculture industries hoping that U.S. industry can more effectively impact tariff policy decisions in the U.S.

Lowe said NCBA officials at the conference understood the negative effect tariffs would have on the integrated industry where cattle, feed and processed products cross the border each day.

“The NCBA agrees with trade as much as we do. Everybody says we need trade that is open and fair and science-based trade. Whether that actually gets to happen, or not, is a different story.”

CCA president Nathan Phinney said, despite the 30-day reprieve, officials know they must continue to work together and speak be unified in their message about the importance of an integrated industry.

“The NCBA is 100 per cent supportive of our relationship and collaborating and working together as an industry. They are just dealing with a tough administration that is in power. Three weeks into the presidency and everybody is just trying to navigate how to deal with this,” he said.

Steve Kay, the California-based publisher and editor of Cattle Buyers Weekly, has seen those pro-trade lobbying efforts when U.S. cattle and meat groups approach Congress.

“The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association and the Meat Institute, which represents meat and poultry processors and other groups, [and the] American Farm Bureau Federation are working furiously, probably 24 hours a day, to directly lobby the White House not to put on tariffs on agricultural products,” he noted.

“And they will be making the argument that the interrelated trade is vital for the success of the United States overall — not just agriculture.”

There may, however, be a disconnect between the industry group’s messaging and that of their members.

Cattle producer and former CCA president Dave Solverson, also at the NCBA conference, said that, while NCBA officials he talked to understand the negative effect of the threatened tariff on the industry, few of the 10,000 people at the conference were so informed.

Silver lining?

The Republican Party holds sway in both the U.S. House of Representatives and the Senate, Kay noted, but that might not be all doom and gloom for Canadian-U.S. trade.

Despite the current trade rhetoric from a Republican president, the party itself has been historically friendly to U.S. farm interests, including the livestock and meat sectors. If enough U.S. farmers and farm groups push back, that could be good news for Canada.

When it comes right down to it, he added, Mexico, Canada and the U.S. will all feel the hurt if there’s a trade war.

“One can only hope that cooler heads would prevail,” he said. “Not necessarily Trump, but he will claim a moral victory by saying, ‘Look, I forced Canada and Mexico to address the issues that I want them to, which was increased border security and countering drug trafficking.

“And he’ll save face by not backtracking but saying, ‘They’ve satisfied me that they’re doing something that they weren’t doing before and so we won’t implement tariffs for a while.’”

When the rubber meets the road, he noted, the U.S. needs Canadian and Mexican Cattle.

Feeding the U.S. beef machine

Unlike previous trade disputes, there is no pressure from the American beef industry to slow Canadian beef exports. American and Canadian cattle herd numbers are at their lowest in decades, and both feedlots and packing plants need Canadian and Mexican cattle.

Canada’s total live cattle exports to the U.S. in 2024 hit 773,000 head, compared to a reciprocal 344,417 live purebred and non-purebred cattle moving from the U.S. to Canada.

“The Tyson plant [in Pasco, Washington] really depends on Canadian fed cattle out of mostly Alberta feedlots for its successful operation, whereas the JBS plant [in Pennsylvania] depends on a lot of Canadian cows,” Kay noted.

The U.S. is less dependent on Canadian feeder cattle. Canada is a net importer of feeders, exporting almost 150,000 head of feeder cattle and calves to the U.S. in 2024 — a 14 per cent drop from the previous year, according to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency.

“Those are still important,” said Kay. “They mostly fill up feedlots at maybe Nebraska and other parts of the corn belt.”

Kay also noted the declined state of the U.S. herd. Total U.S. inventory as of Jan. 1 put the herd at its lowest since 1951, and he estimates that U.S. domestic beef production will drop one per cent in the 2025 fiscal year—down from 27 billion pounds in 2024 to 26 billion, a billion-dollar difference.

“So we need all the beef we can get from Canada,” he said. “We get some from Mexico and we continue to need more and more lean manufacturing beef, which comes in primarily frozen form from Australia, primarily because of our cattle numbers,” said Kay.

Solverson said that during discussions with packers, including Canada’s main packers JBS and Cargill, there were no clear answers on how the tariffs would affect American and Canadian cattle in any country.

Eyes on internal trade blocks

Phinney left the CattleCon conference early to return to Canada to take part in a meeting with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau about the tariffs, their impact on industries and Canada’s response.

Phinney said much of the discussion focused on removing interprovincial trade barriers and diversifying markets, but the task of harmonizing hours of transport rules, special livestock certifications, how to deal with specified risk material, plant processing rules between provinces, labelling requirements and others is not an easy task.

“It was a great conversation to have, but there isn’t an industry out there that knows how to work between provinces and federal government any more than the agriculture industry and it can be pretty daunting at times.

“We’re trying to figure out a way to cut the red tape, harmonize with the U.S. and get some of these things approved.”

How can farmers prepare?

Phinney said he has fielded many calls from producers looking for insight on the situation or any advice on insulating themselves from tariffs. He doesn’t have much to offer them, except to encourage them to keep in touch with and support their cattle industry associations.

Lowe is at a similar loss.

“We do what we do and take our lumps,” he said. “You just don’t quit. We’ve had things happen before and we made it through BSE. I can’t imagine anything worse than that. You carry on and do the best you can to cushion the blow.”

Trump’s 30-day stay on tariffs is scheduled to end the day before Scott Severtson’s annual bull sale Mar. 3 at his Innisfail, Alta., ranch. Potential and previous American bull buyers may avoid his sale, but Severtson is more concerned about the overall beef industry across Canada.

About $2.5 billion of goods are traded between the two countries each day and the influence of tariffs will be felt across all industries, not just livestock, he noted.

“It’s just mind-boggling the amount of trade that goes back and forth across the border,” he said. “It seems funny to me that he would want to mess with that trade. So hopefully, everybody comes to their senses. If it does come, it’s really going to impact our industry.”

He, too, believes there is little he can do as a producer to shield himself from potential tariffs.

Solverson said if tariffs are put in place and fewer Canadian cattle get exported to the U.S. and more stay in Canada, he has faith the Canadian consumer will eat more Canadian beef just as they did when borders were closed to Canadian beef after BSE was found in a Canadian cow.

“Our consumers have proved in the past they have always rallied behind us. Canada was the first country in the world where there was an increase in per capita consumption of beef after a BSE scare.”

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Canadian beef processors pay millions more than their U.S. counterparts to process and dispose of specified risk material (SRM), first targeted during the BSE era, in cattle older than 30 months (OTM). The regulations hurt smaller processors in particular and reduce processing options for producers, said a top industry official.

“We’ve seen a number of smaller, provincially inspected plants stop processing OTM animals. It was just too expensive,” said Dennis Laycraft, executive vice-president of the Canadian Cattle Association.

There are also costs passed down the value chain to producers, but they’re only part of the equation, he said.

“It’s not just the direct cost being passed on to producers. When you have that reduced capacity, it also affects competitive bidding for cattle. You may have to truck your animals further because of the policies,” said Laycraft.

“Those tend to add up to costs that are difficult to quantify but we clearly know they’re there.”

Held back

A recent industry study said federal SRM regulations are a barrier to growth in Alberta’s beef sector.

“SRM carve-out requirements in Canada require more carcass byproduct for over 30 month (OTM) cattle be allocated to less profitable uses,” said the Alberta Beef Competitiveness Study prepared by Calgary-based consultants Serecon.

“SRM regulations mean small- and medium-sized processors are charged more by the renderer in Alberta for byproduct removal.”

SRM refers to parts of the carcass that could potentially contain the BSE agent or prion in an infected animal.

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency defines SRM as the skull, brain, nerves attached to the brain, eyes, tonsils, spinal cord and nerves attached to the spinal cord in cattle aged 30 months or older. It also applies to the distal ileum portion of the small intestine for cattle of all ages.

Although Canada’s BSE risk status was downgraded to “negligible” by the World Organization of Animal Health in 2021, 18 years after the disease was discovered in Alberta, processors must still abide by regulations intended to tackle the disease.

Canadian processors must dispose of more material from each animal than do their U.S. counterparts, and that amounts to big dollars.

Adds up

According to the Canadian Meat Council, SRM disposal costs for 500,000 head of cattle in Canada are estimated at $6.5 million, while disposal costs for the same number of cattle in the U.S. are estimated at $514,000, a $6-million-dollar difference.

Canadian beef abattoirs also remove more (57 kilograms of material prohibited for use in feed or nine per cent of the animal, on average) compared to their U.S. counterparts (three kg or 0.5 per cent of the animal).

According to the meat council, this amounted to an average disposal cost of $167 per tonne among council members surveyed.

“There can be no doubt that when you have a higher cost at the processing level, over time that gets reflected back on what producers get paid,” said Laycraft.

Demand for small- and medium-sized processors is strong but few are responding to the need, he said. In addition to SRM woes, lack of workers might cause reluctance. Labour shortages were identified in the competitiveness study as the Alberta beef sector’s number one challenge.

Michael Munton, owner of Benchmark Angus and Bens Quality Meats, is a rancher, processor and direct marketer near Picture Butte. His provincially regulated business processes about 40 cattle per day and it takes time and labour to comply with SRM regulations.

“At the end of the day, it’s just more cost,” he said. “We’ve got more process to follow, more tracking. Just following the protocol adds cost. Any bit of SRM has to be disposed of separately so you have to track all of that, record all that and then our disposal company charges us more to dispose of (it).”

Munton ballparks his SRM handling costs at $100 to $150 per head, but it’s a big ballpark.

“If our crew is efficient and does a good job, it might be less. If we have trouble removing all the SRM, then our cost would be exponentially more.”

He continues to process OTM cattle but that could change with market conditions, he said.

“Right now cattle numbers are down tremendously. We have customers we’re supplying regularly who are looking for beef at a lesser cost, which we’re trying to satisfy with processing OTM carcasses.

“I think if the market wasn’t where it is right now, we may have that viewpoint where we just say we’re not going to process any OTMs.”

Same rules

The Canadian beef sector’s ultimate goal for SRM is harmonization of regulations with the U.S., said Laycraft. The question is whether the original “classical” case of BSE from 2003 has been eliminated. In Canada, that assessment lies with the CFIA.

“We’re working with the CFIA in completing a full risk analysis. We’re completing that risk assessment so we can use that to show we can safely move to harmonize with the U.S.,” he said.

“Obviously I can’t completely pre-judge a risk assessment until it’s completed but we’re very confident in the fact that classical BSE has been effectively eradicated around the world. There’s been a few born every three or four years in Europe after the enforced bans but it’s extraordinarily rare for it to ever show up now.”

Munton is more cynical about the industry’s chances against regulatory powers.

“Should (the current SRM regulations) be done away with? Absolutely. Will they be done away with? We have little to zero pressure we can put on the CFIA or meat inspection so will that happen? I’m not going to hold my breath.”

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