More tracking, and are we ready for CDN COOL?

Two questions for producers to ponder. How important is the enhanced traceability of cattle through the production system, to producers? It could be coming along in 2011. And secondly, is it time for COOL (Country of Origin Labeling) in Canada?

If you have any thoughts on these two topics, or any other, I would be pleased to hear from you. Email me at: Lee@fbcpublishing.com , reply to this blog, or drop me at line (like actually sit down and write something on paper) and mail it to Cattleman’s Corner, Box 71150 Silver Springs PO, Calgary, AB, T3B 5K2.

The reason for these two questions today – Delegates to the Alberta Beef Producers passed a resolution at their recent annual meeting opposing a federal/provincial plan to bring in mandatory tracking of cattle starting in 2011. Yes, there is tracking in the production system now, but that is primarily called “bookend” tracking. Cattle are tagged and recorded at the ranch, at the beginning of their life, and those tags stay with them through slaughter at the other end of their life, and if there is any problem with meat quality or animal health, it is possible to track the animal back to it’s ranch of origin.

This enhanced tracking plan, which the federal and most provincial government ag ministers, figure will be a big help to marketing Canadian beef to the world, would require records on the movement of cattle through their life to be maintained. Tags would have to be read and recorded as cattle left the farm and went to a community pasture, as they are ushered through the auction mart, if you take cattle to a fair or exhibition, and of course at feedlots. More processing to read tags, and recording of numbers.

The Alberta resolution was presented and passed at the annual general meeting. That doesn’t mean that is the official position of the organization. It is a resolution the board has to consider.

Rancher Ed Curry, who presented the resolution, says he is worried about the cost of this enhanced tracking. Who is going to pay for it? And, secondly, no one has demonstrated to him the value of enhanced tracking.  He says a cost/benefit analysis needs to be done. There is a bit more on this in the January 11 issue of Grainews/Cattleman’s Corner.

So have you heard enough about this enhancing tracking proposal from your provincial department of agriculture or your producer association in Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta or B.C. to convince you it is a good thing?

And the other questions is, is it time we had COOL in Canada. The U.S. has been busy the past year or two developing a system which segregates ‘foreign’ beef at the retail level so their consumers can clearly see what beef is produced in the U.S. and what beef is shipped in from Canada or some other country.

Maybe it is time that Canadian retailers be required to do the same. Maybe, with a fair bit of U.S. beef coming into Canada, consumers should be able to clearly identify at the meat counter which cuts are high quality Canadian bred and fed beef, and which cuts come from some other country.

What do you think?  Are we ready for COOL?

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