ACFA Board Member Voted Vice-Chair of Canadian Beef Check off Agency
Congratulations ACFA Board Member Jeff Smith being voted Vice-Chair of the Canadian Beef Check-Off Agency.
COVID Protocol Document for Feedlots
IMPORTANT COVID-19 BULLETIN FOR CATTLE FEEDERS
RE: AHS DOCUMENTING
It is now crucial that feedlot operators are documenting the policies and procedures you have implemented, as local health services are requiring this information when conducting contact tracing and other COVID-19 related inquiries. Alberta Health Services will need to ensure anyone potentially exposed receives the correct guidance.
At minimum, operators should be able to provide: Names, addresses, phone numbers, roles and positions of staff, workers and visitors who were potentially exposed to a case while they were infectious at that location
Each feedlot also needs to be prepared to respond to symptomatic workers or confirmed cases of COVID 19. It
is necessary that feedlots have detailed protocols and procedures as well as a comprehensive written Rapid Response Plan to assist Alberta Health Services (AHS) in their worksite investigation.
Information vital to have documented:
-
Crucial roles and contingency plans
- Ex: If regular staff cannot feed animals, who completes the job and how
-
Employee health and safety measures
- Masks, sanitization, shift work, distancing policies, etc.
-
HR Policies
- Employee symptom reporting and isolation plan
- Sick leave policy
-
Visitor protocols
Specific information and detailed planning for each of these points and more can be found in our comprehensive COVID 19 Feedlot Protocols and Guide.
We worked closely with Alberta Ag and Forestry to ensure this document is as relevant as possible to cattle feeders. If you have questions or an issue arises, ACFA will work with your farm to connect you with the appropriate contact to provide you with further services /information.
There are also several good resources within this document like this Feedlot Emergency Planning tool, HR Guidelines, and much more.
Alberta Beef Industry Needs Regulatory Change To Remain Competitive
Collaboratively, the Alberta Cattle Feedersâ Association (ACFA) and the Alberta Beef Producers (ABP) conducted an industry competitiveness study to determine the ability to profitably maintain or enhance market share of the Alberta beef industry in relation to its American counterparts.
The report established that the industry is and has been competitive and remains capable of maintaining competitiveness into the future. There are, however, factors and trends that have the potential to decrease competitiveness if they continue.
Full report here:
Alberta Beef Producers and Alberta Cattle Feeders’ Association Collaboration Update
Collaboration successes to date; many more to come
 ADVOCACYÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂ
- Shared election priorities papers with each organization
- ACFA invited to ABPâs 3 political partiesâ luncheons (NDP; UCP; Alberta Party)
- May MLA reception (May 29 â Edmonton)
- November ACFA MLA Dinner (ABP Chair invited â Nov 27, Edmonton)
- Alberta Beef Industry Priorities paper â Summer 2019
- Ministerial / Chief of Staff meetings with ABP – highlight issues / co-develop key messages
- Ag Minister Dreeshen and Chief of staff (Tim Schultz)
- Labour & Immigration Minister Copping and Chief of staff (Janet McEachern)
- Red Tape Reduction Associate Minister Hunter
- Municipal Minister Madu
- Transportation Minister McIver
RESEARCH
- Competitiveness Report and outreachâ on-going
- MNP Proposal on beef industry input to Municipal IDP/ICFs â on-going
COMMUNICATIONS
- Shared communications and expanded outreach of both organizations (eg: Social media, events, blogs and articles etc.)
- Compromised cattle information sheet co-branded and shared on communication channels
- Video production of âBeef on the Streetâ featuring Marilyn Smith (to be launched at ABIC 2020)
- ACFA Chair (Ryan Kasko) featured on ABP annual meeting video
ADMINISTRATION
- Regular Board representation at each otherâs Board meetings
- Joint ABP-ACFA Director working group – regular meetings to direction on areas for collaboration
Meet Your Directors: Jacob Bueckert
Feedlot Business:
Driland Feeders
Warner, AB
Time in Business:Â 25 years
Biggest Challenge in Business: As with many others in the industry, qualified labour is a challenge for us
What made you become an AFCA Director? I wanted to work to further develop our industry and also to learn from my fellow feeder directors.
Tell us a funny feedlot story:Â The best stories can’t be published!
What makes Driland unique? We have worked to be as digital as possible. All of our feedtrucks have GPS computers and we have cameras all around the feedlot to watch cattle load, pen behaviour, and general operations.
Meet Your ACFA Directors: Bob de Boer
Feedlot Business:
Monarch Feeders Ltd
Monarch AB
Time in Business: 36 years and going strong
Your Role at Monarch: I am a partner and I manage livestock purchases and sales
Biggest Challenge in Business: Keeping up with new technology
What made you become an AFCA Director? I joined ACFA after conversations with friends on the board and I wanted to contribute to the industry while staying current with the changing landscape.
Tell us a funny feedlot story: Most funny stories usually come at the expense of a fellow coworker. Stepping out of a rubber boot and face planting in a muddy pen, while trying to get it back without anyone noticing always rates near the top!
What makes Monarch unique? We are unique in that we have 10+ family members involved in the business and have managed to make it work.
Meet Your ACFA Directors: Kendra Donnelly
Feedlot:
Korova Feeders Ltd., Acme
Rimrock Feeders Ltd., High River
Time in Business: 30 + years
Role: Financial Manager? We donât define our titles.
Biggest Challenge: Labour
Funniest Feedlot Story: There are too many to choose from! Every day is a blast around here â we love working with our team
Why did you choose to become an ACFA Director:
- To stay involved, and be connected and knowledgeable about the industry
- To make some impact
What is innovative or unique about your operation:
We are family run and we are working to be 100% RCC and steel (no wood!). We also focus a lot on research and development.
âNothingâ is important to long time Alberta Cattle Feedersâ Member: West Coast Reduction
âWhen there is nothing left, we have done our job,â says Barry Glotman, President CEO of West Coast Reduction Inc. âWe take non-edible by-products from agrifood and food processing industries and turn them into viable products that aid in maintaining a sustainable local food supply.â
Through a process called rendering (which avoids 90% of potential greenhouse gas emissions when compared with industrial composting), West Coast recycles 1 billion pounds of raw material every year that is turned into over 400 million pounds of fats and protein meal products (202 million pounds of fats and oil, and 208 million pounds of protein products).
. These fats and meals help produce finished products that are used in a variety of agricultural and industrial applications for everything from pet and livestock feed to ingredients used in fertilizers, soaps, lubricants, detergents, and biofuel.
Founded by Jack Diamond and his sons, Gordon and Charles in 1964, this successful 4th generation family business that has remained true to their core values, operated with integrity and worked hard to be leaders in the rendering business.
âWest Coast Reduction has always been focused on supporting the industry by providing services that others would shy away from,â says Glotman. âOur goal is to ensure that Western Canadian agriculture is sustainable, and nothing is left behind.â
For more than 55 years West Coast Reduction has supported the Canadian agriculture and beef industries through its services for Western Canadian cattlemen. âThe true sustainability of our business has allowed us to provide these services through good times and bad without government subsidies,â explains Tyler Smoklin, Manager at West Coast. âWe believe our sustainability fits perfectly with the Alberta Cattle Feedersâ vision of âChampioning a sustainable cattle feeding sector in Alberta.ââ
West Coast has found value in ACFA membership for almost 2 decades, first joining in 2000. âAs a member of Alberta Cattle Feeders, it allows us to stay connected with our customers and understand how we can better serve them,â says Smoklin.
