Download - Volume 10 Issue 8 - The Canadian Cattlemen's Association · Action News Canadian Cattlemen’s Association • Canada-South Korea Free Trade Agreement talks resume • CCA Fall Picnic

Action NewsCanadian Cattlemen’s Association

• Canada-SouthKoreaFreeTradeAgreementtalksresume

• CCAFallPicnicenjoysexcellentturnoutduringlobbyingroundup

• CCAjoinsMinisterRitzinD.C.topushforquickendtoCOOL

• CYLupdate

• Droughttolerantforagemixtures

CanadiannegotiatorswereinSeoul,SouthKoreafromNovember25-29forthefirstfullnegotiatingroundforaCanada-KoreaFreeTradeAgreement(FTA)sincelastyear.ThetalkshavebeenstalledsinceJanuary2013.Withanewchiefnegotiatorhavingbeenappointedsincethelastmeeting,itappearsthatKoreamaybepreparedtoworkquicklytofinalizeanagreement.

TheCanadianCattlemen’sAssociation(CCA)continuestoencouragetheGovernmentofCanadatoachieveanFTAwithKoreaassoonaspossiblesothatwecanrestoreourpositionintheKoreanmarket.CanadianbeefregainedaccesstoKoreainJanuary2012followinganearlynineyearBSEprohibition.WhentheKorea-U.S.FTA(KORUS)cameintoeffectlessthantwomonthslater,itputCanadianbeefatanimmediatetariffdisadvantagetoU.S.beef.UndertheKORUStheKoreantariffonU.S.beefimportsisdecreasingby2.7percentagepointsperyearuntilU.S.beefisdutyfreein2026.Canadianbeef(aswellasAustralianandNewZealandbeef)willremainsubjecttothefull40percenttariffwhenenteringKoreauntilCanadaandKoreareachanagreementtoimproveaccess.

KoreahasalsobeenfloatingpublicallyitsinterestinjoiningtheTrans-PacificPartnership(TPP).TojointheTPP,Koreawillhavetobeacceptedbyalloftheexistingpartners,alistwhichincludesCanada,AustraliaandNewZealand.WebelievethatKoreamaybehighlymotivatedtoconcludebilateralagreementswithCanada,AustraliaandNewZealandinordertopavetheirwayintotheTPP.OurviewisthatweshouldseizetheopportunitytosecurefavourableaccessforCanadianbeefintothatimportantmarket.

PriortoBSE,KoreawasCanada’sfourthlargestexportmarket,with14,400tonnesofCanadianbeefvaluedatnearly$50millionexportedtoKoreain2002.CanadianbeefaccesswasrestoredtoKoreainJanuary2012andthefirstshipmentsresumedinMay2012.Totalshipmentsfortheeightmonthsof2012werejustover2,000tonneswithavalueofjustunder$10million.Almostalloftheshipmentsin2012werefrozenbeef.Monthlyshipmentsthroughout2013havesteadilydeclined.

KorearemainsanimportantmarketforCanadianbeefandtheCCAwillcontinuetoworkwiththeGovernmentofCanadatoachieveadealthatbenefitsCanada’sbeefproducers.

Canada-South Korea Free Trade Agreement talks resume

In This Issue...

Volume 10 Issue 8 | December 2nd, 2013



CCA Fall Picnic enjoys excellent turnout during lobbying roundupCattleproducersfromacrossCanadagatheredinOttawaonNovember19and20foranexecutivemeetingoftheCCA,anAlbertaBeefProducers(ABP)‘Fly-In’lobbydayandanalternateformatfortheannualCCAFallPicniconParliamentHill.

ProducerstooktheopportunityinmeetingswithMinistersandtheirstaff,MembersofParliamentandtheirstaff,andofficialsfromdifferentdepartmentstocommunicatekeypointsonpressingissuesinCanada’sbeefcattleindustry.AmongtheindustryneedsaretobuildandmaintainmarketaccessforCanadianbeef,increasethesupplyofpeopleabletoworkinthebeefcattleproductionandprocessingsectors,improvebusinessriskmanagementprogramming,andinvestinresearchandinnovationincludingregulatoryoversightandapprovalprocesses.

TheproroguingofParliamenthascompressedthelobbyingcalendarinOttawathisfall.Asaresult,theCCAOttawaofficeadjustedtheannualParliamentHillFallPicnic.ThisisnormallyanoutdooreventbutwithParliamentreturninginlateOctoberinsteadofmid-Septemberthechancesofabalmymid-daypicnicweretoolowtorisk.TheeventwasmovedtoanindoorreceptiononNovember20intheGovernmentConferenceCentre.

Thesecondeffectofthecompressedfallsittingisthatmanymoreeventsaregoingonconcurrentlythaninotheryears.ABPsentfourcattleproducerstoOttawaforthelatest“Fly-In”lobbydaysonNovember19.TheCCAtooktheopportunitytoholditsquarterlyexecutivemeetingthefollowingdaysocommitteememberscouldattendtheeveningFallPicnicevent.

Despitethedifferenttimeframeandahighnumberofcompetingevents,theneweveningformatreceptionwassuccessful.ManyMPs,Senators,Ministersandstaffattended.MostnotablewasInternationalTradeMinisterEdFastwhodeliveredcommentsofappreciationfortheCCA’scontinuingworkinhelpingtheGovernmentofCanadatogainanddefendmarketaccessforCanadianbeefandcattle.

MPsconveyedtheirappreciationofbeingupdatedontheissuesandwaystheycanhelpadvanceopportunitiesforbeefcattlefarmers,

ranchersandfeeders.AllvoicedastrongcommitmenttocontinuecommunicatingCanada’sresolvetoretaliateagainstUnitedStatesCountryofOriginLabeling(COOL)astheWorldTradeOrganization(WTO)processallows.UnderstandingwasalsobuiltaroundwhatisneededtotaketheCanada-EUComprehensiveandEconomicTradeAgreement(CETA)agreementinprincipletoameaningfulfinalagreementfortheCanadianbeefcattleindustry.CattleproducersleftOttawaknowingMPsandothersbetterunderstoodtheneedtoleveltheplayingfieldinbusinessriskmanagementbetweenprovincesandbetweenannualcropproductionandlivestockproduction.Finally,conversationsthatconveyedtheneedsofagricultureforanincreaseinavailableworkersableandwillingtoliveinruralCanadaandtoworkwithlivestockandmachinerywerewellreceived.Theneedtoimprovetheflowandtheprogramsavailableforaccessinglivestockworkersisincreasinglywellunderstood.

AnotherreceptionisplannedforearlyMarchduringtheCCA’sannualmeetinginOttawa.Betweennowandthentherewillalsobesomemore“Fly-In”daystocontinuethemomentumofthisandpastevents.



CCA joins Minister Ritz in D.C. to push for quick end to COOL

CCAPresidentMartinUnrau,VicePresidentDaveSolversonandExecutiveVicePresidentDennisLaycraftwereinWashington,D.C.recentlyforaCanada-U.S.mandatoryCOOLRoundtablewithpackers,processorsandindustry.

TheCCAtripcoincidedwithmeetingsAgricultureMinisterGerryRitzandAlbertaAgricultureMinisterVerlynOlsonhadinD.C.topushforaquickendtotheCOOLdispute.TheD.C.tripmarkedtheMinister’ssecondstatesidemeetinginNovembertoadvocateforremedyingtheCOOLdisputethroughlegislativechangestothecurrentU.S.FarmBill.

COOLnegativelyimpactsindustryonbothsidesoftheborder.AFarmBillfixisviewedasthequickestresolutiontoCOOLandonethatcouldoccurwithoutCanadaimposingretaliatorytariffsonU.S.importsincludingbeefandporkonceitreceivesauthorizationfromtheWTOtodoso.Theretaliationamountisbasedonthecurrentimpairmentof$1.1billionannuallytotheCanadianlivestocksector,butCCAexpectsthisamounttoincreaseunderthemodifiedCOOL,nowineffect.TheGovernmentofCanadareleasedthelistofcommoditiesbeingconsideredforretaliationinJune2013.

InD.C.MinisterRitzmetwithmembersoftheU.S.Congress,andU.S.SecretaryofAgricultureTomVilsackandcontinuedtopressurekeymembersoftheU.S.GovernmenttoputanendtomandatoryCOOL.HemetwithU.S.andCanadianindustryrepresentatives,thelatterincludingCCAandMartinRice,ExecutiveDirectoroftheCanadianPorkCouncil,onCOOL.

TheMinisterreiteratedCanada’spositionthatCOOLhassignificantlydisruptedtheNorthAmericansupplychain,imposedadditionalcostsonproducersonbothsidesoftheborder,andunfairlydiscriminatesagainstimportedcattleandhogs.Canada’spositionremainsthattheU.S.hascompletelyfailedtobringCOOLintoconformitywithitsWTOobligations.

ThesemeetingsbuilduponMinisterRitz’sspeechtotheU.S.livestocksectorattheNorthAmericanMeatAssociation’s(NAMA)OutlookConferenceinChicago,IL,anddiscussionswithNAMAmembersonthenegativeimpactsofCOOLandtheimportanceofresolvingCOOL,now,throughlegislativechangesintheFarmBill.TheCCAandCPCwerepartofthatdelegation,alongwithAlbertaAgricultureMinisterOlson.

TheCCAthanksMinisterRitzandMinisterOlsonfortheirdedicatedeffortsaswecontinuetotrytoresolvetheissue.

AnotherimportantadvocacyelementistheworkthatCCAdoeswithU.S.statecattleassociations.CCADirector,GovernmentandInternationalRelations,JohnMasswohlprovidedupdatesontheCOOLWTOprocessandpendingretaliationattherecentannualmeetingsoftheWashingtonCattlemen’sAssociationandtheNorthDakotaStockmen.TheseorganizationsinitiallyhadpolicysupportingmandatoryCOOL,buthavesincechangedtheirpolicysothattheynowopposemandatoryCOOLinfavouroffreemarketorientedlabelling.ThepolicydirectiontheseorganizationsprovidetotheirCongressmenandSenatorsisvitaltoCCA’seffortsinD.C.

CYL update

TheCattlemen’sYoungLeaders(CYL)FallForumwasheldinconjunctionwiththeCanadianWesternAgribition(CWA)inRegina,SKonNovember12th.TwentyCYLsbothpastandpresentattendedtheeventalongside



representativesfromgovernmentandindustryfromCanadaandtheU.S.TheForumwasamixtureofspeakers,paneldiscussionandroundtablebreakoutsessionsdesignedtoprovidebothinformationandstimulatediscussion.BobEhr,BeefandDairyBusinessManagerwithElanco,andLyndonCarlson,Sr.VicePresidentofMarketingwithFarmCreditCanada,werekeynotespeakersfortheevent.ThoseinattendancealsoheardfromAnnemariePedersonofCanadaBeefInc.onthenewBeefAdvocacyCanadaProgramandreceivedgreetingsfromSaskatchewanAgricultureMinisterLyleStewart,WyomingDirectorofAgricultureJasonFearneyhough,CWACEOMartySeymour,andtheemceefortheday,CCAPresidentMartinUnrau.TheafternoonsessionwasfocusedarounddiscussionandwaskickedoffbyaCYLFeaturePanelthatincludedCYLsfromdifferentareasofthebeefindustry.ThispaneldescribedtheirmentorshipexperienceandtheeventstheyhaveattendedasaCYLparticipantaswellasansweredquestionspertainingtoyouthinthebeefindustry.Theroundtablebreakoutsessionssplittheaudienceintosmallergroupstobrainstormideasfocusedaroundadvocacy.Thegroupwastaskedwithdevelopingmaterialtoshareviathesocialmediatool,Twitter,andtobrainstormfutureprojectideasforCYLtoworkonwithMcDonald’s.CurrentCYLAustenAndersonandhismentorHeatherTraviswithCanadaBeefInc.sharedtheirmentorshipexperiencealongwiththestartofaseriesofeducationalvideosonthebasicsoffarmingandranching.ThedaywasroundedoutbyannouncingtheCYLsthatwereselectedtoattendtheNationalWesternStockShowinDenver,COandtheNationalCattlemens’BeefAssociations(NCBA)ConventioninNashville,TNinthenewyear.ThefollowingCYLswillbetakingintheseopportunities:

NationalWesternStockShow:

• ColeBailey–BC–2013CYLGraduate

• MarkLyseng–AB–2012CYLGraduate

• MeghanBlack–NB–CurrentCYLMentee

• CarlaSchmitt–SK–CurrentCYLMentee

• DanielDoerksen–AB–CurrentCYLMentee

• EricBuyer–SK–2013CYLGraduate

NCBAConvention:

• AmandaElzinga–AB–CurrentCYLMentee

• AmyMayner–AB–2013CYLGraduate

• BrodieHaugan–AB–2013CYLGraduate

TheCYLFallForumwasasuccessfuleventwithmanyinsightfuldiscussionsandmeaningfulconnectionsmadebetweenCYLs,government,industryandproducersfrombothCanadaandtheU.S.RepresentativesfromeachoftheorganizationsthatsupporttheCYLprogramattendedtheFallForumandhelpedtomakeitthesuccessfuleventthatitwas.ThankyoutoCYLFoundationPartners:AlbertaLivestockandMeatAgency(ALMA),CCA,UFA,CargillandMNP;andGoldSponsorsFarmCreditCanadaandNewHolland,alongwithCYLFallForumSponsor,theGovernmentofSaskatchewanfortheirsupport.

ApplicationsforthenextCYLprogramyeararenowbeingaccepted.Applyonlinehttp://cattlemensyoungleaders.com/cyl_application_form.html.



Staff Contributors:JohnMasswohl,RyderLee,JoleneNoble,TracySakatchWritten, edited and compiled by:GinaTeel,AnthonyMurdoch

Formoreinformation,contact:CCACommunicationsatfeedback@cattle.caorvisitourwebsiteatwww.cattle.ca

Head office:Ste.180,68158thStreetNE,Calgary,ABT2E7H7Phone:403.275.8558Fax:403.274.5686

Ottawa office:1207,350SparksStreet,Ottawa,ONK1R7S8Phone:613.233.9375Fax:613.233.2860

Drought tolerant forage mixtures

Becausenativespeciesmayincreasecarbonsequestration,improvewildlifehabitat,loweragronomicinputs,andextendthegrazingseason,thereisagrowinginterestintheuseofnativeperennialspeciesforseededrangelandandreclamationfollowingdisturbance.Diverseforageswardscomposedofnativespecieshavethepotentialtobeasproductiveastamemonoculturesinagreaterrangeofenvironmentalconditions.Unfortunatelytheinformationfortherightcombinationofspeciesisverylimited.

Arecently-completedresearchprojectfundedbytheNationalCheck-offhttp://www.beefresearch.ca/about/funding/national-check-off.cfmandCanada’sBeefScienceClusterhttp://www.beefresearch.ca/about/funding/canadas-beef-science-cluster.cfmtestedmixturesofnativewarmandcool-seasongrasses,andlegumespeciesthatcouldbeseededinformercroplandandcouldprovideasustainable,droughttolerant,non-invasive,productiverangelandforpastureuseintheMixedGrasslandoftheCanadianPrairies.

Thestudyfoundthatforageyieldandcrudeproteindifferedbetweentheforageswards.Monoculturesandcombinationsofthelegumesandwarm-seasongrassesrankedlow(maybeduetotheexceptionallyhighprecipitationduringthestudy),whileforageswardscontainingWesternWheatgrassrankedhigh.Lessproductivespeciescanhavebeneficialtraitssuchasincreasingnitrogenavailabilityanddroughtresistancetotherestoredforagesward,carrylittlepenaltyundergoodgrowingconditions,andprovide‘insurance’forlessoptimalyears.

Tolearnmoreaboutthisresearch,viewtheBCRCfactsheethere:http://www.beefresearch.ca/factsheet.cfm/breeding-drought-tolerant-forages-55
