“Producer perspectives from across the country help ensure the code reflects the diversity of Canadian beef production systems and remains practical for producers who raise cattle,” Canadian Cattle Association president Tyler Fulton said in a news release.

WHY IT MATTERS: The national code serves as a reference point for provincial animal enforcement officers and courts and sets a basic standard of care for beef cattle in Canada, the Canadian Cattle Association says.

The current code of practice was published in 2013. An update began in 2023 with a 15-person committee that includes representatives from the cattle, processor and transport sectors, veterinary and animal welfare experts, researchers, government representatives and others.

The process involves “respectful dialogue, evidence-based decision-making, and shared accountability,” the news release said.

The draft code of practices includes changes such as:

• Added requirements for monitoring cattle “more frequently” during heat waves and cold weather
• Added requirements for natural or man-made shelter from wind in cold weather
• Expanded guidlines around low-stress handling
• Added requirements around not branding cattle on the face or sensitive areas, and use of pain medication when branding cattle under six months old
• An added section on spaying of female cattle — a practice it says isn’t common in Canada
• Expanded requirements and information around euthanizing cattle, including acceptable methods

Public consultation is open until June 12.

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“After extensive producer engagement and input from provincial beef organizations, the Canadian Cattle Association (CCA) does not support proceeding with the Canadian Food Inspection Agency’s (CFIA) currently proposed amendments to Part XV of the Health of Animals Regulations (Identification and Traceability),” the organization said in a post to social media on Monday.

It added that it supports livestock traceability for disease preparedness, market access and confidence in the beef sector. The association said it and provincial groups will convene a task force “to work for producers on a risk-based, industry-led approach to disease preparedness and emergency management.”

The stance comes after outcry from beef producers across Canada earlier this year, who expressed concerns about “government overreach” and burdensome regulation.

The changes, which included reporting animal move-ins within seven days and more robust requirements around premise identification numbers and required reporting, were first intended to roll out this spring. The Canadian Food Inspection said in January that it would pause the publication of proposed amendments after hearing producer concerns.

The proposed regulations are aligned with the industry-led Cattle Implementation Plan, which was established by all sectors of industry at the National Cattle Traceability Summit in August 2011 and adopted in 2016.

On Jan. 9, CCA president Tyler Fulton posted a message to social media platform X, noting those concerns from membership.

“Be assured the Canadian Cattle Association has and will continue to advocate for a traceability system that works for ranchers and feeders and beef farmers,” he said.

He added, however, that being able to. move quickly to disease threats is key to the beef sector’s business.

“Given the Canadian cattle industry’s reliance on export markets, we need to be prepared and have the tools available to manage animal disease events quickly and efficiently,” he said in the same post.

—With files from Janelle Rudolph

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“CCA has launched an online traceability feedback survey to ensure that producers have an opportunity to share their feedback,” the organization said on social media.

It includes 15 questions, including the importance of traceability to the Canadian beef industry, level of support for “enhancing” the current traceability system and the regulations’ importance to producers.

This gathering of information comes nearly one month after the Canadian Food Inspection Agency announced that it was pausing the publication of proposed amendments to Part XV of the Health of Animals Regulations, which that was intended to occur this spring.

The move followed weeks of outcry from beef producers across Canada.

The proposed regulations are aligned with the Cattle Implementation Plan, which was established by all sectors of industry at the National Cattle Traceability Summit in August 2011 and adopted in 2016. A summary of the plan can be found on the CCIA website.

Many worry that the regulations will unnecessarily burdensome for those who raise, move, feed, and purchase animals.

Across social media platforms and at meetings, producers expressed concern with “government overreach” and said they would not comply with the regulations.

Many producers and provincial organizations also said there had been insufficient communication on the part of industry leaders, the CFIA and the Canadian Cattle Identification Agency.

“The Canadian Cattle Association has, and will continue, to advocate for traceability systems that work for ranchers and feeders and beef farmers,” CCA president Tyler Fulton said in an X video Jan 9.

“Given the Canadian cattle industry’s reliance on export markets, we need to be prepared and have the tools available to manage animal disease events quickly and efficiently.”

Local cattle associations such as Alberta Beef Producers and the Saskatchewan Cattle Association have scheduled producer meetings, with SCA hosting two traceability information meetings in February, weeks after the annual general meeting where traceability and the CFIA were the hottest topics.

“We encourage Saskatchewan producers to take a few minutes to participate and ensure your experience and concerns are reflected in ongoing discussions around traceability,” said SCA on social media.

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Brocklebank is currently the executive director of the Beef Cattle Research Council (BCRC), a division of the Canadian Cattle Association.

Brocklebank will be replacing executive vice president Dennis Laycraft, who is retiring. Laycraft will be maintaining business as usual until the leadership transition takes place in March.

Brockleback was chosen based on the reccomendation of an executive recruitment firm.

“She’s been leading the BCRC for about 20 years and it’s grown tremendously over that time, including building a reputation for being a very trusted, credible organization that keeps producers at the centre of all its decisions,” said BCRC communications director Tracy Herbert.

During that time, the research council has funded important research and collaborated with many other groups.

“Our extension and knowledge mobilization portfolio started under Andrea’s leadership and has grown tremendously as well,” Herbert said.

“Andrea was born and raised on a beef operation and manages it now with her husband, so she’s very grounded in the realities of production and takes a very pragmatic approach and strategic forward-thinking approach to her leadership.”

“Working with Andrea for the past 15 years, I’ve watched and been inspired by her qualities, which are integrity, resilience, humility and clarity, and she has led a fantastic culture here at the BCRC,” Herbert said.

”It’s a culture of pragmatism, respectfulness and curiosity, and those are some of the qualities that have contributed to her success, her positive impact and her collaboration. Those will serve her very well at the CCA.”

The CEO role is new to the Canadian Cattle Association. CCA president Tyler Fulton said it was chosen because it more accurately represents the role of the senior staff member.

Herbert will be BCRC’s interim executive director. She has led the BCRC’s knowledge mobilization and communications program since 2011.

Herbert lives in Lloydminster. Her family operates a mixed farm between Neilburg and Maidstone, Sask.

-Updated Jan. 7

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The decision was made following extensive decision and strategic review by the board of ABP.

In a press release, Doug Roxburgh, chair of ABP, said national organizations like the CCA must deliver value to Alberta’s cattle producers.

He said ABP has high standards for fiscal transparency, governance and communications, and they expect the same from the organizations they are involved with.

“The CCA does not meet those standards,” said Roxburgh, who raises cattle near Bentley.

“After seeing no meaningful progress or willingness to change, we’ve made the decision to withdraw our membership,” he said.

Roxburgh said ABP has a duty to Albertan producers to make sure their dollars are invested in organizations that reflect and advance the beef industry’s values.

ABP will continue to be fully committed to representing Alberta’s cattle producers and ensure that their interests are advocated for at the provincial and federal levels.

Brad Dubeau, General Manager of ABP, said the organization will continue to deliver strong representation for Alberta’s beef industry.

“In light of the Board’s decision, we have mapped a strong path forward to ensure Alberta’s voice continues to be heard- provincially, nationally and internationally,” he said.

ABP will fulfill all its financial obligations to the CCA until the conclusion of the agreement on June 30, 2026.

ABP currently funds over 50 per cent of the CCA budget through the two-dollar Alberta service charge. ABP’s decision to withdraw from CCA will not affect funding to the Canadian Beef Check-off Agency, or its service providers, which include Canada Beef, Public and Stakeholder Engagement, and the Beef Cattle Research Council.

ABP said its goal is to prioritize the long-term strength and viability of its provincial operations, a decision that will continue to build a resilient, transparent and producer-driven organization that will meet the evolving nature of Alberta’s cattle industry.

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Through a formal collaboration agreement, the two organizations said in a release they will jointly develop and deliver targeted training that supports the On-Farm Climate Action Fund and promotes the Farmland Health Check-Up program.
The initiative will equip agronomic advisors with the latest tools and knowledge in nitrogen management, cover cropping and rotational grazing―key practices for improving soil health and advancing climate-smart agriculture, the organizations said.
Susan Fitzgerald, Ontario CCA Association executive director, said working hand-in-hand with OSCIA will amplify the association’s impact and “better serve Ontario’s farm advisors and growers. Together, we’re building a stronger foundation for stewardship and sustainability.”
The Ontario On-Farm Climate Action Fund (OFCAF) provides cost-share funding to farmers to support the implementation of best management practices (BMPs) to tackle climate change through reducing emissions of greenhouse gases and supporting increased carbon sequestration. The Farmland Health Check-Up provides farmers with a unique opportunity to work with a CCA or Professional Agrologist (P.Ag) free of charge to assess risks to on-farm soil health and water quality.
“This partnership represents a significant step forward in delivering consistent, high-quality training and practical resources that help advisors and farmers embrace sustainable practices,” said Kerry Wright, OSCIA’s executive director.
Funding for this project has been provided by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada through the Agricultural Climate Solutions (ACS) – On-Farm Climate Action Fund (OFCAF).

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“We respect and support the collective bargaining process, but the disruption here is placing incredible strain, stress and anxiety on producers,” explained Richard Horne, Beef Farmers of Ontario (BFO) executive director. “And it’s creating cashflow constraints.”

The BFO, Canadian Cattle Association (CCA) and the National Cattle Feeders’ Association, representing 60,000 beef producers nationally, issued a joint statement urging Cargill and UFCW Local 175 to return to the table and expedited a labour resolution for the strike, which began May 27, 2024.

Ontario is the second largest cattle-feeding province in the country, and the impact on the feedlot sector, beef supply chain partners and farmers’ ability to cash flow their operations cannot be understated, said Craig McLaughlin, BFO president.

Why it Matters: Cargill’s Guelph Dunlop facility plays a significant role in the Ontario beef supply, processing approximately 75 per cent of its cattle and filling 67 per cent of eastern Canada’s federally inspected processing capacity.

Beef producers aren’t the only ones feeling the pinch, said McLaughlin, referring to a Guelph Today article reporting Hope House, a local food bank, is seeing 10 to 15 Cargill workers register for food support per day.

Active discussions on measures to assist producers with cashflow needs, such as risk management program interim payments, forgiveness or loan repayment flexibility through financing programs and other options, are ongoing with the provincial government.

“During the pandemic, we did have a set-aside program. Instead of a finishing high-energy ration, (we) put them (cattle) on a maintenance ration to slow them down . . . so they don’t get too large,” explained McLaughlin. “We have pitched that to the government.”

Initially, the conversations included Lisa Thompson, then Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs. However, early in the strike, there was a cabinet shuffle, and newly appointed Minister of Farming, Agriculture and Agribusiness Rob Flack stepped into the fold.

Minister Flack immediately contacted McLaughlin to update him on the situation, which the BFO president appreciated and applauded, especially given that the new Ag minister was assembling his team and getting acquainted with the ministry’s files.

“His first day on the job Monday, we had an introduction meeting myself and Richard Horne,” explained McLaughlin. “Specifically to talk about Cargill.” 

Flack promised to contact Cargill to respectfully convey the long-term impact of the ongoing strike despite his limited influence on legal strike action.

“I think there’s a number of producers under significant amounts of stress,” Horne said. “And trying to manage the situation on their farms from a feeding perspective and a cash flow management one. With each passing day and week, that level of stress and anxiety is increasing.”

He said financial institutions deserve credit for the understanding extended to producers regarding operating lines and loan repayments.

McLaughlin said it’s difficult to determine when the tipping point for mitigating the growing cattle backlog will occur. While some operations are still moving cattle, others are not as fortunate.

He and Jack Chaffe, CCA director and beef producer, are in Calgary for the quarterly CCA meeting, and the Cargill strike is already on the agenda. McLaughlin said the conversation will take a broader tone because, eventually, it will impact western producers who send cattle east.

“That won’t be happening if Eastern cattle are not moving out of feedlots,” he said, adding that it could result in proposals for new national solutions that provide a workable fix.

Horne said the absence of concrete data makes accessing the backlog inaccurate. The anecdotal information indicates a good portion of the weekly capacity has moved to alternative facilities and markets, which is positive.

“Provincial plants are a very small portion of the overall capacity in Ontario,” explained Horne. “When you think of how significant Cargill is and the volumes they do, it’s very difficult to replace that capacity amongst a string of smaller plants.”

The role of truckers, transport companies, buyers, dealers, major processors, and other markets in managing this situation is significant. While Ontario’s capacity helps, it is an interim gap that cannot address the growing backlog.

If the strike lingers through the summer and edges into the fall run, it will have a domino effect, ultimately impacting the farmer’s ability to cash in on a year’s work, said McLaughlin.

“That will be ground zero then,” he explained, adding that it’s a resilient sector that routinely negotiates the impact of bad weather years and crises like BSE and the pandemic. “We will see a light at the end of the tunnel, but it will be some tough slogging.”

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The Canadian Cattle Association reported Schellenberg’s death in a release Saturday, adding that the association’s current vice-president, rancher Nathan Phinney of Sackville, N.B., will now become CCA president.

“With heavy hearts, CCA’s board and staff will continue to push forward on the priorities that were important to Reg, as well as cattle producers across Canada,” the association said Saturday.

“Reg’s legacy and impact on the Canadian cattle industry will be felt for years to come. His gentle demeanour and strong character are qualities that many of us in the industry looked up to,” Phinney said in the same release.

“He will be fondly remembered for being a tireless advocate for cattle producers, taking a particular interest in advancing the priorities related to animal health and care, as well as protecting and preserving our industry for the next generation.”

Schellenberg had worked at Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada’s Swift Current Research and Development Centre in southwestern Saskatchewan before going to work with Perrin Ranching, near Beechy, about 110 km northeast of Swift Current, in 1978.

Schellenberg married Ted and Olive Perrin’s daughter Shannon in 1980 and by 1983 the Schellenbergs were active shareholders in the ranch. The Schellenbergs’ son Coy and his wife Laura-Lie more recently became their partners in the 14,000-acre ranch, now known as Perrin Ranching 1990 Ltd.

The elder Schellenberg served with the Saskatchewan Stock Growers Association as a director and zone chair and later as a member of its executive, and was first elected to the CCA board as a Saskatchewan representative in 2010. He served stints as chair of CCA’s animal care committee, then as co-chair of its animal health and care committee (2016-20) and, later, of its foreign trade committee (2020-22), and as the association’s representative to the Canadian Cattle Identification Agency.

Schellenberg also served as CCA vice-president from 2020 up until March 25, when he was elected by acclamation to replace Bob Lowe as president.

In an interview with Canadian Cattlemen earlier this year, Schellenberg said animal health and care had always been an important focus for him throughout his involvement in CCA, and that the creation of a foot-and-mouth disease vaccine bank in Canada was a priority for him as president.

Highlighting the beef industry’s positive environmental impact and building public trust were also important roles for the organization, he said at the time, “to make it very clear that cattle and rangeland are part of the solution, not the problem.

“That’s the key message we have to really focus on and emphasize and gain as much support and traction as we can because we know the livestock sector tends to get blamed for some of these things. Our alternative is bringing awareness that rangeland management and grazing of livestock is actually a benefit rather than a liability.”

Melanie Wowk, chair of Alberta Beef Producers, on Saturday expressed “overwhelming sadness” over Schellenberg’s sudden passing, hailing him as “a true cowboy, rancher and gentleman.”

The Livestock Marketing Association of Canada, in a statement on Facebook Friday evening, described Schellenberg as a “great friend of LMAC and a tireless leader of the Canadian cattle industry.”

Alberta’s Agriculture Minister Nate Horner, on Twitter Saturday, praised Schellenberg as “a tremendous advocate for Canadian ranchers, producers and rural communities.”

Federal Agriculture Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau, in a separate tweet Saturday, also said she was saddened to hear of Schellenberg’s sudden passing. “Reg was a strong advocate for the cattle sector and we will truly miss him.”

Details weren’t yet available on what led to Schellenberg’s sudden death, although LMAC said in its Facebook statement Friday night that he had died of “an apparent heart attack.”

A service is scheduled for Dec. 16 in Swift Current and is expected to be livestreamed. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Canadian Cattle Foundation in support of the Canadian Cattle Young Leaders program.

— Article updated Dec. 7 to include memorial information. Updated Aug. 28, 2024. Corrects spelling of Laura-Lie Schellenburg’s name.

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The organization formerly known as the Canadian Cattlemen’s Association on Thursday launched what it describes as a “a new brand identity, highlighting the strong and diverse group invested in raising some of the world’s best beef.”

What’s now the Canadian Cattle Association (CCA) described its new identity as “one that is dynamic, forward-thinking, climate positive and quintessentially Canadian.”

A new logo, visual identity and positioning “reaffirms CCA’s commitment to supporting communities, embracing innovation and contributing to the overall sustainability of Canada’s food system,” the association said in a release.

“For 90 years, CCA has been the voice of beef farmers and ranchers across the country,” president Reg Schellenberg, a southwestern Saskatchewan producer, said in the same release.

“Our organization has grown to include the 60,000 members we represent today. It is important that our name, logo and brand also grow and be reflective of how our organization has evolved.”

The word “cattlemen” is considered by some to already be an accepted gender-nonspecific term with no exclusion or disrespect implied, and suggestions that the word be dropped from associations’ branding have met some resistance.

The Saskatchewan Cattlemen’s Association’s members, during their virtual annual general meeting in February last year, defeated a motion for the SCA to “change its name to better reflect the gender diversity of its members.”

In that meeting’s minutes, the SCA noted there were “no suggestions at hand” and that its name was “discussed at formation [in 2009] and was deemed an overall term.”

For its part, the CCA had said at that time it was having ongoing discussions about the matter and had already changed its bylaws to refer to cattle producers rather than gender-specific terms. — Glacier FarmMedia Network

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The Canadian Federation of Agriculture, Canadian Agri-Food Trade Alliance, Canadian Cattlemen’s Association, National Cattle Feeders’ Association, Canadian Pork Council, Canadian Meat Council, Canadian Produce Marketing Association and Canadian Horticultural Council signed onto a joint request Friday.

The ag groups’ request follows border blockades set up at three of Canada’s major land ports for U.S. cross-border trade: Coutts, Alta., southeast of Lethbridge; Emerson, Man., south of Winnipeg; and Windsor, Ont., where access to the Ambassador Bridge connecting that city and Detroit has been blockaded.

The blockades were mounted in tandem with a now-weeks-long demonstration in Ottawa concerning current federal COVID-19 vaccine mandates for cross-border truckers, among other grievances related to pandemic-related public health policy and federal politics.

While single lanes of northbound and southbound traffic had been allowed to resume at Coutts — the longest-running border blockade of the three — that formation was again shut tight as of Friday, preventing any vehicles from crossing.

At Emerson, as of Friday, Manitoba RCMP reported emergency vehicles and “some agriculture transports” have been able to get through that blockade, but “otherwise there is no traffic flow in the area” and motorists are asked to avoid the Emerson area if possible.

No tickets have yet been issued at Emerson and no arrests yet made, RCMP said. However, Chief Superintendent Rob Hill said Friday, “let me stress that proper use of police discretion should not be confused with lack of enforcement.”

Police, he said, “always need to assess the situation at ground level and that may require us to wait for a lower-risk opportunity to do enforcement rather than inflame the situation.”

At Windsor, meanwhile, an Ontario Superior Court judge on Friday granted an injunction sought by the Automotive Parts Manufacturers’ Association (APMA) to prevent “any persons having notice of the (court) order” from blocking the Ambassador Bridge or any access to the bridge for 10 days starting at 7 p.m. ET Friday.

Intervenors backing the APMA’s application included the City of Windsor, Ontario’s Attorney General Doug Downey and the Canadian Vehicle Manufacturers’ Association.

The province said Friday the injunction “authorizes the police to use powers of arrest and seizure to enforce it.”

“People remain at liberty to engage in a peaceful, lawful and safe protest that does not impede or block access to the Ambassador Bridge and approaching roadways,” the city said in a release Friday.

However, news reports from the scene have shown the bridge blockade and protestors still in place after 7 p.m.

The farm and agrifood groups on Friday called for “immediate action by all parties to fully reopen Canada’s trade corridors” and for “all levels of government” to work “towards action to reinstate integral transport and trade corridors.”

Transport of fruits and vegetables, meat, food packaging, feed supplies, livestock shipments, transport equipment, and “integral inputs for agriculture and food processing” have already been “seriously impacted” by the blockades, the groups said.

These blockades are impacting the livelihoods of Canadian farm families, the further businesses they are connected to and the timely supply and delivery of essential goods.

Agriculture and food traffic between Canada and the U.S. averaged $137 million per day in 2020 alone, the groups noted, with Coutts, Emerson and Windsor serving as “key trade routes for those goods.”

On top of its status as a manufacturing and automotive sector hub, about 80 per cent of Ontario’s greenhouse vegetable industry, or about 2,600 acres, is based in the Windsor-Essex area, the city noted in its release.

“The recent blockades have compounded the strain on a fragile system that is working to address food inflation and availability,” Ron Lemaire of the CPMA said in the ag groups’ statement.

“As trade between Canada and the United States relies heavily on open and fluid transportation corridors, it is essential all levels of government work together to address these issues and allow for the uninterrupted flow of perishable goods with our largest trading partner,” he said, referring to the U.S.

Canadian Pork Council chair Rick Bergmann noted that sector’s supply chain “operates on a structured, just-in-time delivery system for animal feed, movement of live animals across Canada and the U.S. and many more critical materials.”

Kinks in that supply chain, he said, “impact producers’ mental health and potentially the health and welfare of the animals we are entrusted to care for. Our industry cannot sustain any more delays.” — Glacier FarmMedia Network

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