By Alex McCuaig

Alberta Beef Production

National beef industry says sector is up to the COVID-19 challenge

Mar 20, 2020 | 4:50 PM

MEDICINE HAT – It’s unprecedented times in Canada’s beef industry and Friday saw heads of several of the top organizations in the sector hold a town hall to discuss procedures going forward in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We need to take every reasonable precaution to address the threat of the COVID-19 pandemic and we want to help,” said Janice Tranberg, president of the Alberta Cattle Feeders Association during Friday’s teleconference.

There was a number of practical concerns discussed, including how to practise social distancing during the current spring bull sales season, the discrepancies between the retail demand and future’s pricing as well as capacity for beef processors to meet demand.

Officials say to expect public access restrictions to auction markets, that the future’s trading is being affected by the same forces which have seen stock markets take a beating but that there is already a recovery in fed cattle prices and processing capacity is being ramped up.

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But there are also labour concerns across the industry which relies on Canada’s Temporary Foreign Workers’ program.

“Access to qualified foreign workers remains one of the most important issues impacting beef production in Canada,” said Tranberg. “Both in terms of sustaining current production levels but as well maintaining the current availability of beef products to Canadian consumers.”

A comprehensive proposal to address this issue from the Canadian Federation of Agriculture and Food Processors of Canada has been put before federal Agriculture Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau.

Included in that proposal is a request that temporary workers be allowed into the country, be put in quarantine for the required 14-day period and then allowed to work.

Additionally, Tranberg added there is the issue of, “how do we keep the people who are already here, how do we extend their approval so they can stay to keep business as usual going.”

Bob Lowe, the newly elected president of the Canadian Cattlemen’s Association (CCA), says that while the pandemic shouldn’t be taken lightly, he express confidence the beef industry is up for the challenge.

“This is a pretty serious thing,” said Lowe. “When the government is advising this social distancing, they aren’t kidding. That’s the way to stop this virus.”

And with calving season well underway, “that’s pretty much as good social distancing thing as you can get.”

But he stressed ranchers follow the advice of medical officials to help stem the spread of the COVID-19 virus.

That’s advice he is taking to heart at his Nanton Bear Trap Feeders operation.

“I’m not letting people – two people at a time – go in a tractor. It’s one person not two,” said Lowe. “Wash your hands a lot and basically what our chief medical officer is telling us to do.”

Regarding the experiences ranchers have faced in recent years – from BSE to bovine tuberculosis – Lowe says this has allowed the beef industry to have an emergency response plan at the ready.

That plan went into effect last weekend, “which has proven to be good in the leadership, policy, communications so you aren’t running around blind. We have a direction.

“Ranchers are pretty adaptable and we’ve been put through a lot in the last few years and we’re going to come out stronger at the end of this one too.”

Lowe says cross-border shipments of beef into the United States will continue.