Cattlemen’s meeting touches on sustainability of Canadian beef

FORT ST. JOHN, B.C. — The B.C. Cattlemen’s Association met with their federal counterpart, the Canadian Cattlemen’s Association, to discuss many different topics over the course of an afternoon on Tuesday. Heading into the evening, drinks and dinner were served.

During the first part of the afternoon, Dr. Tim McAllister of Agriculture & Agri-Food Canada was the keynote speaker, touching on evaluation of the environmental footprint of cattle production in Canada.

Following the keynote, the meeting saw a rotation of mini sessions with researchers on a variety of topics surrounding the theme of environmental sustainability relating to cattle production.

General Manager Kevin Boon says one of the interesting parts about Canada’s beef industry is that sustainable beef is becoming a bigger and bigger topic on the table.

“We take a great deal of pride in the fact that we were chosen, and that we are the country that is first to enroll and put in the showcase,” he said.

Boon references a pilot program through McDonald’s, called the ‘Canadian Verified Sustainable Beef Pilot Project.’ The project started in May of last year, and will conclude this April with the findings of the project being shared with the Canadian Roundtable for Sustainable Beef.

“A lot of the perception is that cattle take out and don’t put back in, it’s the exact opposite,” says Boon. “Sustainability is making sure we have the balances out there. This isn’t about what people look at as factory farms, and everything else. It’s actually how the industry — and how raising beef and livestock in a proper manner and a responsible manner can actually improve and be an important part of the future of our nature and our lands.”

When asked about scrutiny about sustainability in regard to cattle — as the consumption of water and soy by cattle has been studied and discussed at great length — Boon says people tend to forget the cyclical nature of income and outcome in sustainability.

“If you look at it as part of the cycle, yes, we utilize it, but it all comes back and is recycled,” he responded. “There’s certain things that disappear forever, there’s certain things that become part of the cycle.”

Boon says predictions show, by 2050, the world will need twice as much food as we are producing now. Boon says one of the big questions now is how that can be done, and how it can be done in a way that is acceptable.

“It’s showing how their business and their industry is concerned about the sustainability of feeding the populations in the world for years to come.”

In B.C., Boon says the cattle industry has been recovering for the last two years, following tougher times. He adds that the industry appears to be moving north, and 20 per cent of B.C.’s cattle herd is within the Peace Region.

“A lot of that land is utilized for crop production, but a lot is used for cattle and we see a lot of mixed operations, where we see both cattle and grain.”

Looking forward, the B.C. Cattlemen’s Association will be heading to Penticton for an annual general meeting this May.