Volume 14 Issue 01 • July 06, 2015
CCA IS THE NATIONAL VOICE OF CANADA’S 68,500 BEEF FARMS
In This Issue...
• BSE Case #19 Update – Final Report
Expected Later This Fall
• Trans-Pacific Partnership Update
• Dry Conditions Persist in Alberta and
Saskatchewan
• Save the Date - CCA Readies for its
Semi-Annual Meeting in Winnipeg
• Results of the Western Canadian CowCalf Survey
BSE Case #19 Update – Final Report Expected
Later This Fall
The investigation into BSE case #19 is proceeding, with the on farm and feed investigations complete
from an information gathering perspective. The data collected is now being analyzed by experts and the
conclusions will be found in the final report, anticipated to be posted on the Canadian Food Inspection
Agency (CFIA) website in late fall of this year.
The birth cohort animals are considered those born between March 2008 and March 2010 on the same
farm. The tracing activities are well underway, with just over 70 per cent of the birth cohort animals
identified to date. Of this 70 per cent, approximately 14 per cent of those were traced to live animals. At
this point, the trace out activities continue and a final summary of these activities will appear in the final
investigation report.
The CFIA and Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) continue to work with trading partners to lift
temporary restrictions put in place as a result of this case. The CFIA has actively engaged these markets
and provided them updates as the investigation progresses.
Trans-Pacific Partnership Update
On June 29, U.S. President Barack Obama signed into law the Trade Promotion Authority (TPA). This so-called fast-track negotiating authority means the efforts to
conclude a Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) agreement will now intensify. It also means Canada and other TPP countries can play their final cards at the negotiating
table without fear of having to later re-negotiate with the U.S. Congress. The Canadian Cattlemen’s Association (CCA) urges the Government of Canada to maintain
a high level of ambition as the negotiations enter their final phase and ensure that Canada will become a founding member of the TPP. The CCA appreciates and
fully supports Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s recent comments in Quebec City that it is essential for Canada to be included in the TPP.
A TPP agreement could come together quite quickly now that the U.S. Congress has granted U.S. President Barack Obama TPA to finish the negotiations. In return,
all TPP countries should expect the U.S. comes to the table prepared to make genuine concessions in areas where it has traditionally held back. The CCA is asking
Canada to seize this opportunity and fully engage at the negotiating table. Canada needs to be a founding member of the TPP. The time to act is now.
Volume 14 Issue 01 • July 06, 2015
Canada’s beef producers cannot afford for Canada to stay out of TPP or delay entry. Canada
exported over $100 million of beef to Japan in 2014 under the same 38.5 per cent tariff as its major
beef producing competitors. However the playing field is no longer level; earlier this year, Australia
implemented a bilateral Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with Japan and already has a significant tariff
advantage (31.5% on fresh beef and 28.5% on frozen). Canada needs the TPP to catch up to Australia
and keep pace with the U.S. and New Zealand.
With a TPP agreement in place, Canada could eventually double or triple beef exports to Japan. Without a
TPP or with a delayed entry, Canada’s beef producers risk becoming uncompetitive and eventually shut out
of key Asian markets.
If Canada is not a founding member, it will be relegated to seeking accession along with other countries
that want into the TPP. That likely means Canada having to commit to even deeper concessions later in its
areas of sensitivity and getting less in return than if we join now. Moreover, trying to get back in after the fact
means Canada forfeits the opportunity to set the conditions of entry for other prospective members. For
example the Canadian beef sector would want Korea to accelerate its tariff phase-outs on Canadian beef as
a condition of entry to TPP, but would be unable to request that as a non-founding member.
Dry Conditions Persist in Alberta and Saskatchewan
The dry conditions continue to persist throughout Alberta and Saskatchewan. Hay prices are high and it’s essentially now a waiting game to see how grain
crops proceed as they may become salvaged for forage, said Canfax Manager Brian Perillat.
“As dry conditions persist and reduce our grain crop, it will increase feed costs in Western Canada relative to the U.S, and this could result in a significant
number of feeder cattle to the U.S.,” he said. “On the other hand, there are operators looking at importing feed corn or corn by-products, to maintain their
cattle numbers.”
Producers are finding ways to deal with the dry conditions. In parts of northern Alberta, lower than normal precipitation, high heat and strong winds continue
to impact yields.
Former CCA director Rob Somerville, who ranches near Endiang, AB, has enough pasture for July but without rain he expects to run out of pasture in
August. Rain is critical. “Right now our grass is crunching under our feet so it is pretty dry,” he said. While he is hoping for rain, the situation presents the
dual challenges of getting the cows through the pasture season with something to eat and having winter feed in place for later.
There is very little grass or hay in his area. While there is some hay to bale this year it’s only a fraction of what he’ll need. Somerville reports he has hay acres
that will take about 3-4 acres to make a 1,500 pound bale. In a normal year it would be 1.5 bales per acre.
Somerville has contacted a custom silage operator to put all of his grain crops including canola up for winter feed. The grain crops are very late due to the
slow germination plus delaying seeding due to the frosts almost every night. “If it rains those grain crops will make silage but if it does not rain they will be
too short to even cut,” he said.
The Somervilles will be buying barley and straw. While he’s been offered hay to buy but at very high prices, Somerville said he’s considering a nutritionist
and putting together some sort of plan centered on barley or corn, straw and pellets.
CCA director Colin Campbell reports hay yields 30 per cent of last year’s cut and one-year stands of alfalfa yielding 50 per cent of normal in his area near
Bon Accord, AB. With current moisture conditions, there is little chance of a second cut. “Pastures are fading, by the end of the month, (July), there are
indications that pastures will be done,” he said.
Volume 14 Issue 01 • July 06, 2015
Crops are a mixed bag, straw will be short so once harvested for grain, there will little to be baled. Silage crops at this point in time appear as if they will be
low in tonnage, he said.
Campbell added that cow/calf pairs have been appearing at the local auctions in light numbers. It’s expected that this will increase as the month progresses
and there is no moisture.
Canfax’s Perillat reiterated that while it was felt the industry was ready to expand in 2015, this drought has likely put expansion on hold for at least another
year, and depending on the severity it could even see a slight decrease in breeding stock numbers.
Save the Date - CCA Readies for its Semi-Annual Meeting in Winnipeg
The CCA is getting ready for its 2015 Semi-Annual meeting to be held in Winnipeg, Manitoba from August 11 to 14. A key part of the program will be
announcing the 2015 recipient of The Environmental Stewardship Award (TESA). Since 1996, TESA has recognized producers who go above and beyond
standard industry conservation practices and set positive examples for other cattle producers and the general public.
Five provincial environmental stewardship award winners have been nominated to vie for the 2015 national award: British Columbia - Squaw Valley Ranch,
Doris and Darrell Squair; Alberta - Bar S Ranch, Chattaway Family; Saskatchewan - Bluestone Stock Farms, Jason and Karla Hicks; Manitoba - Kristine
Blair and Graham Tapley; Ontario - Mooregrove Farms, Chad and Debbie Anderson.
The 2015 TESA national recipient will be announced on August 12 during the CCA President’s evening reception. TESA is sponsored by Meyers Norris
Penny, which, in addition to covering travel costs for nominees, provides TESA recipients with a cash gift in the amount of $1000.
The CCA Semi-Annual will see staff and directors, along with provincial association representatives, meet about important industry issues over the course of
the week.
For more information about the CCA Semi Annual meeting please go to http://www.cattle.ca/news-events/cca-semi-annual-meeting/.
Volume 14 Issue 01 • July 06, 2015
Results of the Western Canadian Cow-Calf Survey
While it is good management to track and calculate one’s herd production performance indicators on an annual basis, it can be helpful to have benchmarks to
compare to. Benchmarks help a producer know if they are on the right track. They can help a producer identify if they excel in a certain area and/or could improve in
another. They can also help to show what production and management practices other producers are following. Benchmark productivity measures for the cow-calf
sector can also help guide research and extension efforts.
For these reasons, a group of individuals from British Columbia to Manitoba, representing provincial beef producer groups, provincial Ministry of Agriculture
specialists, the Beef Cattle Research Council, Canfax and the Western Beef Development Centre have revived, expanded and conducted a survey last conducted in
Alberta in 1998. The Western Canadian Cow-Calf Survey (WCCCS) was distributed to producers from November 2014 until the end of February 2015. A total of 411
survey responses were received, representing just over 76,000 cows.
Highlights of the results are now available, including average conception rate, calving distribution, popularity of calf marketing strategies, top bull selection criteria
and more, at http://www.beefresearch.ca/blog/western-canadian-cow-calf-survey-results/. More detailed results will be published by the participating
WCCCS groups in the coming months.
CCA Action News
Staff Contributors: John Masswohl, Tracy Herbert
Written, edited and compiled by: Gina Teel, Anthony Murdoch
The Canadian Cattlemen’s Association is the national voice for Canada’s beef cattle industry representing 68,500 beef
farms and feedlots.
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