Alberta unveils long-term strategy for livestock
industry
Government acts as catalyst to major change
Edmonton... The provincial government unveiled a
long-term strategy and investment of $356 million
to stabilize and strengthen Alberta’s livestock
industry.
“Alberta’s livestock industry is facing significant
challenges and needs a major and fundamental
change,” said George Groeneveld, Minister of
Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development.
“Albertans want a competitive and sustainable
livestock industry, but this will not happen until we
start doing things radically different. The industry
needs to regain its competitive advantage and
although these changes will not be easy, they are
necessary.”
Mandatory traceability and the development of a
new Alberta Livestock and Meat Agency, are key to
implementing this new strategy. The government
will invest $56 million this year to create the
agency, which will report directly to the Minister of
Agriculture and Rural Development. Included in that
amount is $40 million that will be redirected from
the ministry’s existing budget. The Alberta
Livestock and Meat Agency will support the
livestock industry with a focus on directing funds,
resources and programs towards strategic
priorities.
The Alberta Livestock and Meat Strategy outlines
eight priority initiatives developed to achieve
significant change in the industry. These changes
will redirect resources to key priorities, revitalize
the livestock industry, enhance the value chain and
refocus efforts to achieve a sustainable and
competitive livestock industry.
To assist in stabilizing the industry during the first
phase of this transformation, producers will receive
$150 million in immediate funding. An additional
$150 million will be available in January 2009 once
certain conditions have been met. This second
payment will be issued only after age verification
and premise identification practices have been
adopted and verified for each individual producer.
“Government will work closely with the livestock
industry throughout this transformation process,”
said Groeneveld. “Producers who are unable or
unwilling to transform their business by meeting
these new verification and identification conditions
may need to consider ways to exit the industry. It is
vital that producers believe in the sustainable
future of this industry.”
The challenges facing the livestock industry include
persistent labour shortages, restricted access to
foreign markets, packing plants operating
significantly under-capacity, lack of a shared
strategic vision, lack of product differentiation,
overdependence on the U.S. market, lack of an
integrated federal-provincial government policy
framework, and increasing environmental impacts.
industry
Government acts as catalyst to major change
Edmonton... The provincial government unveiled a
long-term strategy and investment of $356 million
to stabilize and strengthen Alberta’s livestock
industry.
“Alberta’s livestock industry is facing significant
challenges and needs a major and fundamental
change,” said George Groeneveld, Minister of
Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development.
“Albertans want a competitive and sustainable
livestock industry, but this will not happen until we
start doing things radically different. The industry
needs to regain its competitive advantage and
although these changes will not be easy, they are
necessary.”
Mandatory traceability and the development of a
new Alberta Livestock and Meat Agency, are key to
implementing this new strategy. The government
will invest $56 million this year to create the
agency, which will report directly to the Minister of
Agriculture and Rural Development. Included in that
amount is $40 million that will be redirected from
the ministry’s existing budget. The Alberta
Livestock and Meat Agency will support the
livestock industry with a focus on directing funds,
resources and programs towards strategic
priorities.
The Alberta Livestock and Meat Strategy outlines
eight priority initiatives developed to achieve
significant change in the industry. These changes
will redirect resources to key priorities, revitalize
the livestock industry, enhance the value chain and
refocus efforts to achieve a sustainable and
competitive livestock industry.
To assist in stabilizing the industry during the first
phase of this transformation, producers will receive
$150 million in immediate funding. An additional
$150 million will be available in January 2009 once
certain conditions have been met. This second
payment will be issued only after age verification
and premise identification practices have been
adopted and verified for each individual producer.
“Government will work closely with the livestock
industry throughout this transformation process,”
said Groeneveld. “Producers who are unable or
unwilling to transform their business by meeting
these new verification and identification conditions
may need to consider ways to exit the industry. It is
vital that producers believe in the sustainable
future of this industry.”
The challenges facing the livestock industry include
persistent labour shortages, restricted access to
foreign markets, packing plants operating
significantly under-capacity, lack of a shared
strategic vision, lack of product differentiation,
overdependence on the U.S. market, lack of an
integrated federal-provincial government policy
framework, and increasing environmental impacts.