In response to a request from BCRC to improve strategic vaccination in Canadian beef herds to reduce disease risks and antimicrobial use, an expert team with broad experience in western Canadian beef production, veterinary medicine, research, and extension was assembled. The group surveyed beef producers and veterinarians, identified “core” and “risk-based” vaccines for western Canadian beef herds, and created a range of extension materials for use by beef producers and veterinarians, including disease infographics, vaccination decision trees and guidelines, written articles, as well as podcasts, webinars, and training videos on the subject.

All extension materials can be accessed here.

 

The project was funded by BCRC, ACFA, SCA, MBP, Boehringer Ingelheim, Elanco, Hipra, Merck, and Zoetis. We acknowledge and thank the members of the team that built these extension tools for the beef industry:  Drs. Joyce Van Donkersgoed (Project Coordinator), Claire Windeyer and Eugene Janzen (UCVM), Barb Wilhelm (WeCAHN), Bill Newton, Blaine Pickard, Tim Nickel (Boehringer Ingelheim), Dan Shock (Hipra), Nataska Kutryk and Sam Wauer (Merck), Lacey Fowler (Elanco), Dorothy Erickson and Bruce Kostelansky (Zoetis), Colin Palmer and Scott Wright (University of Saskatchewan Livestock and Forage Center of Excellence), and Marianne Possberg and Glen LaPointe (SCA), and various members of Saskatchewan Agriculture.

A number of federal and provincial updates to labour and immigration have been announced in recent weeks.  A summary of those announcements include:

Government of Alberta – Changes to the Alberta Advantage Immigration Program

Federal Immigration and Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP) Updates

Engagement Opportunities for ACFA / NCFA and Feedlots on Labour Issues

Read the full update here

August has stunned power industry professionals and consumers alike. This month is surely one for the record books! At $257.75/MWh the month averaged more than $100/ MWh higher than any previous month in Alberta’s 22 year deregulated history. In contrast, August 2021 settled just $82.25 or less than 1/4 the price of August 2022. One weather observer noted that it was the hottest August Calgary has had (in terms of daytime high average) since August 1971. Demand in the province was strong with load averaging 9839 MW—6% higher load than we saw in August 2021. In previous letters we’ve highlighted that very hot (and cold) periods rarely have high wind speeds so the extreme temperatures exacerbated what was already a seasonally low wind month. With very little wind generation, thermal generation was left to make up the difference which resulted in materially higher prices.

This offers no consolation to Alberta electricity consumers who have an abundance of natural gas within their borders, but European countries including Romania, Bulgaria, Austria, Germany, Denmark, France and the U.K who are suffering from potential gas shortages, all saw certain daily prices in August settle over 600 Euros/MW.
The heat of August 2022 in Alberta caused a re-pricing of risk with the market believing this scenario, or something akin to it, could hap-pen again. Prices for future terms are up dramatically as a result. From late July to late August 2022, power prices for the 2023 term rock-eted up 10%, and 8 %, for 2023 and 2024, respectively. In early September, this trend upward has continued.

Read Campus Energy’s market update for September here.

The Communications Manager is a full-time role with the overall responsibility to develop and manage the internal and external communications strategies for both the ACFA and the National Cattle Feeders’ Association (NCFA).  The manager reports directly to the President & CEO.

The candidate will have excellent interpersonal and communication skills with the ability to multitask and adapt in a fast-paced environment; be creative, forward thinking and a team player. To ensure success, candidates should be innovative, organized, and self-motivated with a keen interest in driving strategic messages to key internal and external stakeholders.

Complete job posting and details here.

February 3, 2022

Calgary, AB – With the prolonged disruptions at the Canada-U.S. border crossing, Canada’s beef industry has serious concerns with supply chain challenges, including the lack of access to feed coming from the U.S. and impacts on cross border movement of cattle and meat products.

Alberta Beef Producers (ABP), Alberta Cattle Feeders’ Association (ACFA), and the Canadian Cattlemen’s Association (CCA) are calling for a timely resolution and the restoration of our essential supply chain.

ABP, ACFA, and CCA want to see the blockade resolved safely and effectively for truckers, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, producers, and all involved. In 2020, food and agriculture were deemed an essential service to continue moving supply chains during the pandemic, and it is critical agriculture continues to be able to operate without disruption.

The Canadian and American beef industries are highly integrated. Every day the industry is unable to move cattle, beef, or access feed puts the entire supply chain at risk. Canadian beef producers are already facing challenging supply issues from access to feed, following the devastating drought conditions in 2021, limited rail access, and trucking shortages.

Blocking the transport of beef to cross border consumers is slowing down processing in Canada and creating a backlog at processing facilities, feedlots and farms and ranches. The obstruction is also blocking the growing critical supplies of feed that are needed across western Canada.

ABP, ACFA, and CCA continue to monitor developments and work with the federal and provincial governments, and other stakeholders to keep all components of the beef supply chain functioning.

 

Quotes:

“The beef industry is aware of the situation evolving at the Canada-U.S. border crossing. Our focus remains on the people who are affected by immediate delays to the beef supply chain and ensuring the welfare of animals. Further impacts to cattle prices must be avoided.”

Dr. Melanie Wowk, ABP Chair

 

“The unintended consequences of these closures and delays further affect already existing shortages on products like animal feed that have been caused by drought, trade disruptions, and transport issues. Transportation delays can severely impact the beef supply chain from cattle feed to grocery shelves.”

Greg Schmidt, Chair, ACFA

 

“Maintaining a stable supply chain is critical to Canadian beef production. The evolving situation at the U.S.-Canada border and the transportation delays are resulting in major impacts for the entire beef supply chain.”

Bob Lowe, CCA President

 

For further information, contact:

 

Katelyn Laverdure
Lead, Stakeholder Communications

Alberta Beef Producers

403-451-0931|KatelynL@albertabeef.org

 

Megan Madden

Communications Manager

Alberta Cattle Feeders’ Association

780-686-8807 | mmadden@cattlefeeders.ca

 

Michelle McMullen

Communications Manager

Canadian Cattlemen’s Association

403-561-8578| mcmullenm@cattle.ca