Keystone Processors Blog

On June 24, 2010, the Honorable Prime Minister Stephen Harper, Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz and International Trade Minister Peter Van Loan secured a breakthrough agreement with Mainland China to allow market access for Canadian beef.

The Canada Beef Export Federation expects that this agreement, which calls for a staged approach leading to full market access, will see sales of Canadian bovine products to the combined markets of Mainland China, Hong Kong and Macau increase by $110 million to $175 million when full access has been achieved.

“This is a historical day where the barriers are coming down for Canada in Mainland China in advance of other countries who have diagnosed BSE in their markets,” says Ted Haney, President of the Canada Beef Export Federation. “Mainland China was one of the last two countries to maintain a complete ban on Canadian beef.”

Prior to BSE, Canada in 2002 sold a peak $35 million of bovine tallow to the Mainland China market alone; and $3.5 million in beef products to the combined markets of Mainland China, Hong Kong and Macau.

Keystone Processors welcomes this breakthrough agreement with China, as access to the tremendous and growing market of Mainland China will benefit the entire Canadian industry. The additional value earned by Canadian beef processors and exporters will support stronger Canadian cattle prices, contributing to stability and prosperity for cattle producers across Canada.

Buy Local, Environment, Manitoba cattle Agriculture Minister, Beef Export, China, Gerry Ritz, Hong Kong, Macau, market access, Prime Minister, Stephen Harper

This week we read in the Manitoba Co-operator that Canada’s cattle herd fell to its smallest size in 15 years last year. Cattle and calves slaughter levels in Canada were down 3.7 per cent compared to 2008. More alarming was the fall in live cattle exports of 31.6 per cent.

These declines are the result of a number of things. It was the first year of mandatory U.S. country-of-origin labelling (COOL). The continued demand for ethanol has caused a surge in grain prices, which means feed costs have skyrocketed. And the higher Canadian dollar has also cut in to profit margins. The result is fewer cattle and fewer cattle producers. Read more…

Export markets, Government policy, Manitoba cattle COOL, Gerry Ritz, trade

Last month’s decision by the Canadian government to approach the World Trade Organization (WTO) over the mandatory Country-of-Origin Labeling (COOL) is a much appreciated second visit to the WTO on behalf of beef producers in as many months.

The first came after a five year stand-off with South Korea over Korea’s unwillingness to reopen its borders to Canadian beef despite reopening its borders to American beef. Both countries were given the “controlled risk” status for beef by the WTO in 2007 but this new ruling impacted only the U.S./Korea relationship. That battle continues. Read more…

Export markets, Government policy, Manitoba cattle, Uncategorized Country of Origin Labeling, Gerry Ritz, Stockwell Day

Keystone Processors applauds the recent announcement by Canadian Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz that the Saudia Arabian market has been reopened to Canadian beef exports. The deal was made public last week and marks the first time Canadian beef will be allowed into Saudi Arabia since 2003. The kingdom had been our country’s sixth largest market for exports of beef prior to that.

The news is welcome for the Canadian industry and for Keystone Processors which is working to develop markets for Halal beef here in Canada and in the Middle East. Read more…

Export markets, Kosher and Halal, Natural beef Gerry Ritz, Halal, Keystone Processors, Kosher, Natural beef, Saudi Arabia