September 30, 2013
Canada''s Verified Beef Production™ programme continues to grow
The Verified Beef Production (VBP) programme of Canada continues to grow and is looking at ways to add value for those involved.
"Canadian beef producers do a good job and care about what they do," says Terry Grajczyk, national manager of the VBP programme for the Canadian Cattlemen''s Association. "Many have been loyal to the VBP programme and it continues to grow. We are looking for ways to secure further recognition for beef production practices on behalf of cattle producers."
As compared to 2012, growth in 2013 shows that two thirds of Canada''s beefproduction comes from VBP-trained operations, with a 3% increase over last year and 17,103 producers trained.
The number of "registered" operations, those which have their operations audited by a qualified third party validation auditor, increased 16% over the previous year which represents 1,004 beef cattle operations audited and 20% of beef cattle production in Canada.
"This is a big industry and growth takes time, but there has been good interest in western Canada, Québec, and now starting in the Atlantic Provinces. VBP is a cost effective programme that provides proof to customers that Canadian beef producers care about doing things responsibly," continues Grajczyk. "Thanks to availability of provincial Growing Forward 2 programmes, producers in some provinces can access partial funding for equipment purchases which has been a plus."
The programme is in early stages of exploring add-on modules for biosecurity, animal care, and environmental stewardship. This may include verification processes for those who want that option, and identifying key outcomes for Canadian producers. This will help promote responsible practices for those who are new to the industry, or maybe haven''t kept up on the various ways that demonstrate due diligence.
VBP identifies industry-sanctioned practices to further enhance confidence in Canadian beef production.
A&W, the second largest burger chain in Canada, recently launched a new, multi-faceted marketing ploy across North America promoting "Better beef." That beef, A&W President and CEO Paul Hollands said in a release, "is beef that''s been raised without added hormones or steroids."
At the end of the day all Canadian beef produced – regardless of how it''s raised- must pass the same quality and safety inspections, adds Reynold Bergen, science director with the Beef Cattle Research Council.