Ottawa | Reuters — Canadian producer prices unexpectedly fell in August as meat and dairy products saw the largest decrease in nearly nine years, while lower prices for energy and petroleum products also weighed, data from Statistics Canada showed on Friday. The 0.5 per cent decline in producer prices fell well short of analysts’ expectations […] Read more
Farm gate prices fall in August on meat, dairy
Come together: Beef industry gathers under one roof at national conference
Inaugural conference shows there is an appetite for all parts of the beef industry to work together for the common good
Reading Time: 3 minutes They came from across Western Canada and as far away as New Brunswick. And all of them were passionate about beef. The inaugural Canadian Beef Industry Conference, held at the beginning of August, was more of a success than anyone anticipated. More than 650 people from all sectors of the beef industry came from across […] Read more
Alberta Beef Producers delegate nominations closing soon
Reading Time: < 1 minute Nominations for the fall election of Alberta Beef Producers (ABP) delegates close on Aug. 31. ABP delegates provide leadership to the organization and are a critical connection to the grassroots producers by hearing and bringing forward their ideas, concerns and issues. Producers who want to become delegates can find nomination forms at albertabeef.org, through your […] Read more
Is scrapping ALMA a mistake?
Reading Time: < 1 minute The dissolution of the Alberta Livestock and Meat Agency in last month’s provincial budget may be a step backward for Alberta’s agri-food processing industry. “I know ALMA was able to move fairly quickly in terms of responding to both opportunities and concerns and really apply resources in a very forthright fashion because of the way […] Read more
Beef researcher mentorships available
Application deadline is June 1
Reading Time: < 1 minute Applications for the 2016-17 Beef Cattle Research Council’s Beef Researcher Mentorship Program are now being accepted. Four researchers were selected for the program last year and paired with mentors — innovative producers and industry experts — for a one-year term, which ends on July 31. They have reported very successful and valuable experiences, including establishing […] Read more
The great divide: Earls controversy has larger implications for beef industry
A move to woo customers with ‘certified humane’ beef ignited a firestorm — and highlighted the gap between producers and consumers
Reading Time: 5 minutes The decision by Earls Restaurants to stop using Canadian beef and move to American “certified humane” proved short-lived, but the issue is much bigger than one restaurant’s choice of suppliers. Earls quickly reversed the decision that sent waves of displeasure through the beef industry. But the controversy has highlighted both consumers’ lack of knowledge about […] Read more
Have we gone overboard in the bid to get more marbling?
More beef is grading AAA or Prime, but lean meat has fallen dramatically – and that's not right, says expert
Reading Time: 4 minutes If you glance at the numbers, it seems like the cattle industry is getting more beef — and more AAA or Prime beef — from fewer animals than ever before. But dig a little deeper, and the numbers tell a different story. According to longtime beef industry analyst Charlie Gracey, the trend of feeding cattle […] Read more
A pricing system encourages both quality and yield
Here’s Charlie Gracey’s formula for a pricing system that he says would send out the right market signal
Reading Time: 2 minutes How would a pricing system that compensates producers fairly for both quality and yield work? Here’s Charlie Gracey’s formula, which is based on a carcass yield of 73 per cent and, in this example, a price of $2 per pound on the rail. “Discounts for carcass weights that were over or under the desired range […] Read more
Alberta products showcased in Japan
Reading Time: < 1 minute Alberta Agriculture and Forestry says a visit to the FOODEX Japan show last month was a success. A delegation from seven companies and organizations walked the show to gather market intelligence and sales leads at the largest food and beverage trade show in the Asia Pacific. Working with Canada Pork International, Canada Beef, and Edmonton […] Read more
Database follows the money to the packing plant
Study of carcass data shows cattle from an elite breeding program were worth more than $200 a head than the average calf
Reading Time: 3 minutes Sharing data through the entire beef chain adds value that can translate to economic gains — although how much of that might go to cattle producers is a question yet to be answered. McDonald’s Canada, Beefbooster, and BIXSco — the company now running the Beef InfoXchange System — recently collaborated with Livestock Gentec to analyze […] Read more
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