We know grazing cattle are an integral part of the grassland ecosystem and play an important role in ensuring grasslands do not disappear from the Canadian landscape. Telling the story of Ontario’s beef sector and the positive environmental impacts provided by beef farmers and cattle is a key priority for BFO. Federally, BFO Board members and staff work closely with the Canadian Cattle Association (CCA) to advance issues that are national in scope. The work put into sharing information on beef farming and the environment is done on all fronts from our policy and advocacy efforts, consumer engagement, and in working with other organizations, particularly CCA and it’s Public and Stakeholder Engagement (PSE) team, and the Canadian Roundtable for Sustainable Beef (CRSB).
Most recently, BFO Board and staff members along with CCA staff held meetings with Members of Parliament and Senators in Ottawa about the sustainability of cattle production in Ontario. Board and staff communicated that federal policies need to resonate with Canadian farmers as much as they do with the Government and the public, and such policies need to include experienced voices from Canadian farmers; the importance of cattle producers being able to feed the world while contributing to environmental, social and economic sustainability; the need for strategic investments in science-based practices and sector-led initiatives to encourage soil-based carbon storage; and to encourage technology, innovations and management approaches that reduce overall emissions and the intensity of emissions.
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