Message from Canadian Cattle Association

Last summer, thousands of Canadians stepped up to help Canadian farmers and ranchers when the Federal Government was looking to put health warning labels on ground beef. Those efforts made the Government change their mind and protected a staple in the diet of millions of Canadians.

We need your help to reach out to the government once again.

On July 15, 2023, the Government of Canada announced an agreement to grant access to the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) to the United Kingdom. As one of the first adopters of CPTPP, Canada has an exclusive veto on new members.

The CPTPP has, until now, provided a high standard for fair access to markets for participating countries, but this agreement with the UK leaves significant barriers in place. It does not meet a fair standard of competition for Canadian farmers and producers. This is a bad deal for Canada. At the moment, the UK exports $50 million of meat to Canada, while Canada exports $0 of meat to the UK.

The Canadian beef industry is proudly pro-trade. But this is not a fair deal, and no deal is better than a bad deal.

Can you send your MP an email?

Working with the Canadian Cattle Association, we have made it very easy for you to do.

Step 1: Visit www.saynotoabaddeal.ca

Step 2: Use the signup form, your postal code will connect you to your Member of Parliament

Step 3: You can use the template email provided, click “I don’t like this message” for a new one, or you can edit the template or write your own.

Step 4: Click send

Thank you for speaking up so that the government knows Canadians support our farmers and ranchers! 

Atlantic Beef Products

You can sign up for pricing updates from ABP by contracting Bruce to be put on his distribution list.

bandrews@abpi.ca

Test Station Now Accepting Bull Applications

The Maritime Beef Testing Society (MBTS) is now accepting applications for the 2023-24 winter bull test. We are entering the ninth season of using the GrowSafe feeding system to evaluate bull performance. This year’s consignment forms have been added to the MBTS website and are due October 13, 2023. These can be found at www.maritimebeefteststation.ca/consignment.   

The MBTS Annual General Meeting will be announced soon. Please stay tuned to the MBTS website, the NSCP website, or social media channels for updates. 

Canada Beef announces Eric Bienvenue as Incoming President

Canada Beef and the Canadian Beef Check-Off Agency are pleased to announce that Eric Bienvenue will join the team as Incoming President effective Tuesday, October 3, 2023. A strategic leader with nearly 30 years of experience in senior leadership roles in the Canadian pork and poultry industries, Bienvenue brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to Canada Beef. 

On-Farm Climate Action Fund

New Brunswick Soil and Crop Improvement Association is now accepting applications for the On-Farm Climate Action Fund for the 2023-2024 crop year. The objective of the On-Farm Climate Action Fund is to support farmers in adopting beneficial management practices that store carbon and reduce greenhouse gases, specifically in the areas of:

1. nitrogen management

2. cover cropping

3. rotational grazing practices

Click Here to read more!

Raising Replacement Heifers -- What Does It Cost? 

Replacement Heifer Calculator

Understanding the cost of developing replacement heifers is crucial for informed decision-making. The most significant factor in heifer development cost is the opportunity cost of forgoing revenue from selling calves at weaning. Each heifer kept for the breeding herd is one less calf to sell in the fall – the cost of the opportunity for fall revenue that’s being given up.

With cattle prices currently at record highs, the opportunity cost is at its peak. Producers should consider the long-term economic implications of raising replacement heifers and remain aware of potential market volatility throughout the heifer's lifespan.

The Replacement Heifer Calculator estimates the costs of developing a replacement heifer from weaning, through breeding to preg-checking. The calculator provides estimates of total development costs and a break-even selling price for bred heifers when you input relevant information such as weaning date, cattle prices, expected breeding performance, feed and nutrition costs, veterinary expenses and other associated costs.  

Participation Request: Impact of Agriculture 4.0 Technologies on Canadian Farms 

Participation involves completing an online questionnaire that covers farm characteristics and experiences with AI, cloud computing, IoT, and big data analytics. The questionnaire is designed to be user-friendly and can be filled out at the participants' convenience.

The closing date for the questionnaire has been extended to October 12, 2023.  

Agriculture NB Launches New Mental Health & Farm Safety Program

Agriculture NB is pleased to announce the launch of New Brunswick’s first Mental Health and Farm Safety Initiative for the agriculture sector, and the appointment of Victoria Hutt as the Mental Health and Farm Safety Program Coordinator.

The Mental Health and Farm Safety program is the first of its kind for the agriculture sector in New Brunswick. New Brunswick is one of the only provinces that does not have a Mental Health and Farm Safety program in place. The first few years of the new program will focus on mental health, and will incorporate on-farm safety over time.

Business Efficiency Programs

Business Efficiency Programs delivered by NB Power offer money back for energy audits or feasibility studies, equipment upgrades, building retrofits, and more!  Best of all, these incentives are available for all New Brunswick businesses, regardless of their energy provider.

Starting Off On The Right Hoof

This is part two in a series that will explore the opportunities and challenges of dairy-beef cross calves with perspectives from across the value chain including the primary producer, backgrounder, feedlot and processor. 

Click HERE to read more!

AgriNB Launches New Brunswick’s new agricultural job bank

AgriNB is pleased to introduce our newly developed job bank, a comprehensive resource for connecting agricultural employers with job seekers in the New Brunswick region. This platform offers the added convenience of allowing employers to advertise job openings at no cost, thus promoting employment opportunities within the agricultural industry and working towards bridging the labour shortage gap. We encourage both employers seeking qualified candidates and job seekers looking for new opportunities to utilize the AgriNB job bank as a valuable resource.

NB Beef Expo & Angus Futurity

October 14 & 15 - Sussex, NB

Save the Date!

November 25 - Beef Day at Dal

Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership 

New Brunswick programming for the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership have launched!

*As stated in the SCAP Administrative Guidelines, the Canada / New Brunswick Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership (Sustainable-CAP) policy framework is a five-year federal, provincial, and territorial Initiative which will operate from April 1, 2023, to March 31, 2028, unless otherwise announced. Program applications are welcome on an ongoing basis until funding is exhausted. Please check your desired program's administrative guidelines for full details.

The Beef Rotational Grazing Initiative

The objective is to assist beef producers to adopt or improve rotational pasture management on their farms. Proper adoption and use of rotational pasture practices will improve quantity and quality of pasture productivity, improve pasture carrying capacity, extend the grazing season, improve soil health and carbon sequestration, improved root growth, improve animal productivity, improve pasture biodiversity and improve drought resistance of pastures The form is HERE!

The Beef Herd Renewal and Improvement Program

The objective of this program is to grow, renew and improve the New Brunswick beef cow herd. The registration form is HERE!

The Department of Agriculture, Aquaculture and Fisheries

Is pleased to announce the launch of the New Brunswick Lime Transportation Assistance Program. The program provides financial assistance to help cover the cost of transporting quarried dolomitic and calcitic limestone (e.g., Aglime) and is calculated based on the distance from the source of origin, that has the correct type of lime available, to the delivery destination. The program is retroactive to April 1, 2023.

The program guidelines and application can be accessed here. 

NBCC

Is offering a 10-week Agriculture Essentials: Equipment Maintenance micro-credential program to better prepare learners to work in the agricultural sector as farm workers.

 Click HERE to learn more!

Producers are encouraged to pre-register all feeder cattle as early as possible. Atlantic Stockyards Limited (ASL) will be listing pre-registered cattle on their website.

Vaccinated cattle will be uniquely identified; all cattle will be sold by order of arrival.