Where are we at?

[cowman]

Where are we at with the building of new packing plants? There was so much talk of these new generation co-ops and other ventures. Whatever happened to the Sunterra plant that was supposed to be built in North Calgary? Have they broken ground yet? How about the moth balled cow plant in BC? Is it in operation? And what about the plant in central Saskatchewan(owned by Irish interests)? It should be just about done?
It seems to me it sure takes a lot of time to get these things rolling or maybe I'm just not keeping up on things enough?

[pandiana]

Good question, cowman. I asked someone in SK about the Irish funded plant and they didn't know. I though this was a sure winner.

Didn't someone earlier comment that the Atlantic plant was moving forward on schedule?

[rsomer]

Check out http://www.alberta-canada.com/statpub/mpgetem1.cfm for a list of projects in Alberta. Of note to the beef industry are a plant expansion of Longview Meats, Nossack Fine Meats, processing facility, Peace Country Tender Beef Coop slaughtering facility, Ranchers Beef Calgary proposed $30 million plant, Ranchers Own Beef Slaughterhouse Parkland County, South West Alberta Business Development Centre (SWABDC) Pincher Creek. All are proposed projects with the exception of Ranchers Own which is announced.

I think uncertainty in the industry will keep these plants from moving forward as fast as they might. Guarantees from government would make a huge difference in seeing some ground breaking and construction begin.

[cswilson]

just finished an A.I. project with a large customer-very diversified business 10,000 crop acres, 500,000 chickens 650 cows-was discussing the new packing plants with him and he told me something sobering. The spent hens used to be used in soup etc because of their stronger flavour but now because of the increased LABOR costs in the kill plants they are gassed and disposed of-something to think about when some of the plant proposals are talking about just killing cows.

[cswilson]

Wouln'd it be nice if these progressive minded folks could somehow be allowed to test for BSE to expand new potential market.
OOPS, I've said the T word.

[moffat]

The plant in S.E. Sask with Irish intrests doesn't seem to be going forward to fast. Lots of rumors but not much action. Still sounds like a go but when is anyones guess.

[Bruce14]

I went to a meeting last night where we were told that Natural Valley Farms has started operations.

There is no slaughter facility yet however they have secured a building for processing and are moving ahead. For now they are using a provincially inspected plant to process and get their product lines established.

The Irish plant doesn't sound as promising.

[kato]

From the CJOB website today.

The Ranchers Choice Beef Co-op will sit down with the Doer government again today, to find a way to purchase that Custom Abattoir plant in Winnipeg.

Agriculture reporter Harry Siemens says tomorrow is the day, the group wanted to purchase the facility. Siemens says David Rectall told him Friday he feels really good about the group's chances with Premier Gary Doer's committment to doing what it takes to make the plant happen. He says that's particularly important since many feel the U-S border will not reopen to live Canadian cattle anytime soon.

As a result, the Co-op wants to decide today exactly how it will buy and operate the plant.

Siemens says while he initially didn't give the group much of a chance, he now thinks there's a 70-30 likelihood of it actually happening.

CJOB's Lorne Edwards reporting.