The years-long fight against U.S. Country of Origin labeling regulations (COOL) has been worthwhile and will ultimately prove to be in support of the long-term health of the Canadian cattle industry, beef producers heard at an Olds conference held on Nov. 27.
The one-day “Cow-Calfenomics – Seizing Opportunities in the Alberta Cow-Calf Sector” conference was held at the Pomeroy Inn and Suites. It was sponsored by the Livestock and Farm Business Branch of Alberta Agriculture.
Kevin Grier, a market analyst, was one of six speakers at the conference.
“I believe that money we spend fighting COOL is money well spent,” said Grier. “We haven't asked for this fight. This was brought on by the (American) national farmers union. This was brought on by cowboys in the United States. Cattle feeders didn't want it. Packers didn't want it. Most of the hog producers in the United States didn't want it.
“This isn't a fight that we picked, but it is a fight we have to fight. It's the right fight because it does cost us millions of dollars and it does cost people their livelihood. The costs of this program are real. I just can't stand COOL.
“It should be fought. It discriminates against Canadian cattle. Our animals are being treated differently than U.S. animals and that just isn't right.”
The fact the Republicans now control the U.S. Senate may be helpful in resolving the COOL issue, he said.
Under the COOL regulations, U.S. cattle buyers are required to segregate imported from U.S.-born livestock. Critics call the regulations discriminatory to Canadian beef and pork.
The Canadian Cattlemen's Association and other Canadian agriculture organizations have been fighting COOL regulations since they were put in place in 2008.
In October the World Trade Organization compliance panel said that COOL regulations in the U.S. are unfairly penalizing producers who send cattle and hogs to the U.S. market.
Grant Lastiwka, livestock and forage business specialist with Alberta Agricultural and Rural Development in Olds, recently spoke to the Mountain View County agricultural service board, including about COOL.
“The fact that the meat supply is given a label does in fact affect the consumers buying it,” Lastiwka said. “The fact that the meat is designated differently (affects) how the plants handle it themselves. They have to keep it very separate within their systems.
“Because of all the (COOL) rules around separating the meat supply, it has an effect on those in the U.S. marketplace who do choose to kill the Canadian cattle. That means there are less buyers because there are only a few plants that buy Canadian cattle.”
At the Olds conference Lastiwka spoke on the need to link pasture systems to optimize beef performance and profits.
“We should be looking at the soil side of the game so that our grass is more productive, so our animals are more productive,” he said. “You've often heard the saying, ‘I'd rather good grass and bad cattle.' But you know it's good if we have good grass and good cattle. We can do a lot if we have good pasture and that's one of the things to focus on.”
More than 100 people attended the conference, including many Olds College students.
