District meetings give beef producers a say

Details

Published on Saturday, November 11, 2017

By Kate Jackman-Atkinson

Neepawa Banner & Press

Manitoba is home to 1.3 million beef cattle and next week, area beef producers will have the chance to hear about the industry, as well as voice their concerns and priorities for the coming year. On Nov. 15, Manitoba Beef Producers (MBP) will be hosting their District 8 meeting at the Arden Hall. 

This district covers the municipalities of Harrison, Clanwillian, Rosedale, Glenella, Saskatchewan, Minto-Odanah, Glenella-Lansdowne, WestLake-Gladstone, the Langford portion of North Cypress-Langford and the LGD of Park.

Beef cattle are an important part of Manitoba’s economy and with vast grassland and clean, accessible water, the province is well suited to beef cattle production. Nationally, the beef industry adds $15 billion to Canada’s GDP and Manitoba accounts for about 12 per cent of the national herd.

Each of the province’s 14 districts hold annual meetings and that process began in late October. The meetings offer producers a valuable chance to share their concerns about issues affecting the industry, or their operation, at the grassroots level. Many of these issues are brought forward as resolutions at the district level and those that pass are carried forward to the organization’s annual general meeting, scheduled for Feb. 8 and 9 in Brandon. The resolutions passed at the annual general meeting become lobbying and advocacy priorities for the organization in the coming year.

The district meetings also offer an important chance for producers to learn about changes effecting the industry. For example, upcoming revisions to Health Canada regulations will have an impact on the types of medications, antibiotics in particular, producers can buy without a veterinarian’s prescription and increased traceability requirements will have an impact on producers sending their stock to market. The meetings will also provide updates about the expected effect of provincial and federal government programs aimed at the agriculture or cattle industries.

The District 8 meeting will start at 6 p.m., with a beef on a bun meal, and take place at the Arden Hall.