What does anyone else think of the Canada Beef Export Federation?
Their mandate according to their website is thus ”The Canada Beef Export Federation identifies and develops key export markets to increase the sale of Canadian beef products with the cooperation of all companies, organizations and institutions that benefit from this success.”
Note “......with the cooperation of all companies, organizations and institutions that benefit from this success” - no mention of live cattle producers interests or their cattle values being represented.
I could only find figures for 2005 but expect they will be reflective of today's values. 2005 funding - total revenue - $5.482 million of which $2.246 million was federal and provincial producer check-off money with an additional $2.5 million being paid directly by the Federal Government.
You only need to look to the board to see what this organization is about. Current chair is Gib Drury of Quebec Farmers Association. (There is always a token producer rep as chair usually an ex CCA official – the real power however is obvious from the vice-chairs):
1. Brett Campbell, XL Foods, Calgary
2. Jeff Cline, Cargill Foods, Wichita, Kansas (is it even appropriate for an American to be a vice chair of Canada Beef Export Federation??
3. Arthur Batista, Ecolait, Quebec (Canada’s largest integrated veal rearer/processor)
The Finance and Audit chair is Jeff Rosgen,Lakeside Farm Industries, Brooks.
This is clearly a packer organisation - why then is it being funded by check-off dollars?
Their mandate according to their website is thus ”The Canada Beef Export Federation identifies and develops key export markets to increase the sale of Canadian beef products with the cooperation of all companies, organizations and institutions that benefit from this success.”
Note “......with the cooperation of all companies, organizations and institutions that benefit from this success” - no mention of live cattle producers interests or their cattle values being represented.
I could only find figures for 2005 but expect they will be reflective of today's values. 2005 funding - total revenue - $5.482 million of which $2.246 million was federal and provincial producer check-off money with an additional $2.5 million being paid directly by the Federal Government.
You only need to look to the board to see what this organization is about. Current chair is Gib Drury of Quebec Farmers Association. (There is always a token producer rep as chair usually an ex CCA official – the real power however is obvious from the vice-chairs):
1. Brett Campbell, XL Foods, Calgary
2. Jeff Cline, Cargill Foods, Wichita, Kansas (is it even appropriate for an American to be a vice chair of Canada Beef Export Federation??
3. Arthur Batista, Ecolait, Quebec (Canada’s largest integrated veal rearer/processor)
The Finance and Audit chair is Jeff Rosgen,Lakeside Farm Industries, Brooks.
This is clearly a packer organisation - why then is it being funded by check-off dollars?
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