Canada Beef and the Canadian Cattle Association will share the money to support market diversification
Additional markets for Canadian beef and veal is the goal of federal funding distributed to the livestock sector.
Agriculture and Agri-Food Minister Heath MacDonald announced $4 million in support for Canada Beef and the Canadian Cattle Association during the Calgary Stampede on July 8.
The money is coming from AAFC’s AgriMarketing program.
Canada Beef will receive more than $3.7 million of the total amount.
“This new money will support promotion of Canadian beef and veal in a global market with a strong focus on the Indo-Pacific region,” the minister said.
This federal support will help customers around the world understand the quality of Canadian beef.
And that quality starts with Canadian ranchers, said Eric Bienvenue, president of Canada Beef.
“Every farmer and rancher in this country has a story,” he said. “It starts well before sunshine every morning and often on land that has been in the family for generations. And it ends with positive experiences, as minister MacDonald said, at dining tables here in Canada but also around the world in cities most of us will never visit.”
Canada currently exports beef to more than 50 countries.
“Today is about bringing that story to a bigger audience,” Bienvenue added.
The Canadian Cattle Association will receive up to $300,000 to use towards new market access and existing market expansion.
With geopolitical uncertainty around the world, promoting Canadian beef globally is as important as ever, said Tyler Fulton, president of the CCA.
“Investment in ensuring and securing market access is critical for the resilience and the growth of the industry,” he said during the funding announcement while highlighting a 2.5 per cent increase in the cow herd. “I’m convinced that the industry itself will respond with growth and supporting the rural economy and the whole Canadian economy.”