As Manitoba Beef Producer meetings continue, talk of the National Beef Strategy is moving around the province.
Martin Unrau, co-chair of the National Beef Strategy says they're looking to increase the mandatory national check-off from $1 per head to $2.50 per head. Unrau says this will go toward supporting the budget to carry out the four pillars of the strategy, which include beef demand, connectivity, productivity, and competitiveness.
"The reason it's important is because for our industry right now, of course we're making money and everything is pretty good, but our numbers are down from where they should be. We should have more cattle in Canada in order to meet some of the demand that's out there," he says. "And so when we look into the future, of course we won't be here forever, but you know 10, 15, 20, years, a lot of the current producers will be replaced by the up-and-coming producers. And in order ensure that we have the young generation taking part in our industry and continue to produce the products we do, we have to have a healthy industry.
Source : PortageOnline