This week, the Alberta government announced changes to the meat inspection regulation, it hopes will cut red tape for the industry and give consumers more access to locally produced meat.
Among the changes, consumer can now buy an animal direct from the farm and have it slaughtered there if it's for their personal consumption. That's become a popular option after beef prices started going up this spring. Ag minister Devin Dreeshen outlined the changes, earlier this week. "These amendments resulted in nearly a 30 percent reduction in red tape for Alberta's beef industry and an increase in over 26 million dollars annually to Alberta's livestock industry. These are common sense regulation changes that will provide increased flexibility and more opportunities to Alberta producers. More importantly, these changes are modernizing our regulations aligning Alberta with other provinces like B.C. and Saskatchewan."
Many people are looking to buy straight from the farms and ranches or their area. Minister Dreeshen explains that with the changes, people will be able to do just that. "As food trends have shown, people want to know where their food comes from. Changes to regulations mean consumers can now buy an animal direct from a ranch and have that animal processed on site for their own consumption. These changes allow for more on farm slaughter, providing more opportunities for businesses and clubs, like 4-H, and giving consumers more access to local food."
These change take affect immediately so if you would like, speak to a local farmer and stock up for the remainder of BBQ season and prepare for the remainder of the year.
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