February 8, 2022

 

Canadian cattle groups express concerns of disrupted movement of cattle due to protest blockade

 

 

The biggest producer organisations of Canada's beef industry said they have "serious concerns" about a border blockade caused by protesters near Coutts, Alberta.

 

The protest began as an organised slow roll operation started by individuals opposed to Canada's pandemic health restrictions. The situation eventually evolved into an impromptu blockade.

 

The restrictions were imposed to deal with increased deaths and hospitalisations for those with COVID-19 in Canada and to help relief Alberta's overwhelmed health system.

 

The Canadian Cattlemen Association, Alberta Beef Producers (ABP) and the Alberta Cattle Feeders' Association are calling on a "timely resolution" to the situation, according to the joint release issued on February 3.

 

ABP co-chair Jason Hale said live cattle imports and exports along with boxed beef heading south and critical feed supplies heading north have been affected by the blockade.

 

Beef processing at Alberta's Cargill and JBS plants, which are responsible for about two-thirds of Canada's beef products, will be backlogged, said Hale.

 

"When you think of the number of cattle at just our two main packing plants in Alberta, that's a big number of cattle processed every day."

 

The impact from that blockage will run down the beef producer line and add costs, he said. "That just creates a backlog in the feedlots, the finishing lots. It adds days of feed."

 

Additional costs will eventually trickle down to cow-calf operators, said Hale. "Historically, the cost increases are felt all across the production chain," he added.

 

Work is being done to try to find other Alberta ports that can be used, but that will require negotiations between the US and Canadian governments.

 

The lack of grain to feed cattle is now raising the level of concern for animal welfare issues in Alberta.

 

John Barlow, a federal Conservative agriculture critic, said the blockade must be lifted.

 

"These are critical infrastructure trade corridors. We need to have products moving, whether that is feed or live animals," he said. "These things are imperative and in many cases perishable."

 

- The Western Producer