Australia’s New BSE Policy Seen As Strong Signal

Australia’s decision to allow beef from countries with “controlled risk” status for BSE may be symbolically important for Canada. Australia’s Agriculture and Health ministries announced Oct. 20 that the country will “adjust” its food import policies for beef and beef products starting March 1, 2010. Countries that have had BSE in their herds but want

In Brief… – for Sep. 24, 2009

Food aid budgets crash: Food aid is at a 20-year low despite the number of critically hungry people soaring this year to its highest level ever. Josette Sheeran, UN World Food Programme’s (WFP) executive director said the number of hungry people passed one billion this year for the first time, adding the UN has barely


Market Access Secretariat Ready

“There haven’t been the resources available to go and attack the world.” – TED HANEY, CBEF Anewly created federal agency to develop new foreign markets for Canadian agricultural products should be fully operational by September 30. The Agricultural Market Access Secretariat (AMAS) expects to have staff hired by September 15 amid high expectations for new



Beef Imports To Exceed Quotas

A strong demand for ground beef, driven partly by the recession, may cause Canada to exceed its non-NAFTA beef import quotas this year for the first time since 2003. Canadians are eating more hamburger and less prime rib because of the economic downturn. Add to that a sharp reduction in the national beef cow herd

New Beef Company Tries Online Marketing

Keystone Processors Ltd. has opened an online store to sell Manitoba-raised hormone-free beef direct to consumers. The beef-processing plant, which opened earlier this year on Marion Street in St. Boniface, is working with Natural Prairie Beef to bring NPB’s brand of premium, locally raised, hormone-free beef to the Winnipeg market. Consumers can now purchase steaks,


Panama Open To Canadian Beef

Canadian beef exports will soon have access to Panama for the first time since 2003. Panama has approved Canada’s meat inspection system and lifted the ban on Canadian beef imposed in 2003 because of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), a federal release says. “I’m pleased to see that Panama recognizes that Canada produces safe, high-quality beef

Beef Cattle Sell-Off In Alberta Eases

Farmers have slowed the sell-off of beef cattle in Alberta, Canada’s top producing province, as feed supplies improve in the parched Canadian province. Farmer sales to auction marts have levelled off at 16,000 to 16,500 head per week, said Scott McKinnon, market analyst with CanFax. That suggests that recent rain has improved pastures enough that


Hong Kong Further Loosens Beef Ban

Hong Kong’s Centre for Food Safety (CFS) has further relaxed its BSE-related import controls on Canadian beef. The CFS, in a release June 30, said it has officially implemented the second phase of its agreement with Ottawa to allow imports of Canadian boneless beef, beef rib cuts and other bone-in products (except vertebral column cuts)

Cattle Experts Say It Will Get Better

Cattle industry experts are in general agreement that the long-term outlook is bright for the beef industry. However, the short term remains troubled. A substantial list of long-term positives were listed by presenters at the recent Saskatchewan Stock Growers Association annual meeting in Moose Jaw. Pork, poultry and beef supplies are all dropping in North