April 29, 2004

Canada To Launch New Beef Campaign

The Alberta government will release a recovery plan for the beef industry on Friday, involving an aggressive marketing and ad campaign to try to restore consumer confidence in Alberta beef.

The industry has been in crisis ever since bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), commonly known ad mad cow disease, was discovered in a cow last May.

Premier Ralph Klein says the government wants to focus on the quality of Alberta beef. "The beef recovery plan calls on developing market access and ensuring our American customers in particular that our beef is safe and of the highest quality, so we will launch an aggressive marketing campaign to restore consumer confidence in our beef," he said.

The plan does not involve any new money in the form of compensation to farmers. The province has already paid out over $400 million.

Klein says the best thing for the industry would be for the United States to reopen its border, completely, to Alberta cattle and beef products.