CCA Responds to Issues
Canada’s beef and cattle industry faces a variety of issues - from environmental, to policy and regulation to animal welfare. All of these are reported on in one way or another by a variety of sources and in some cases, it’s necessary for the CCA to respond.Below you will find the CCA’s response to a variety of issues. Data presented in the responses are industry facts and vetted by program specialists.
If you have any further questions on any of the issues, do not hesitate to contact the CCA office at 403.275.8558.
November 3, 2009
Hoax email circulating about McDonald’s Canada’s beef purchasing practices
A viral email containing completely false information is circulating and putting an unwarranted spotlight on McDonald’s Canada’s beef purchasing practices.
This email is a hoax. McDonald’s Canada currently sources 100% of its beef from farms and ranches right across Canada and has no plans to purchase any beef from South America.
To learn more, click on the links below:
CCA President, Brad Wildeman, responds with facts on McDonald’s purchasing and production practices in Canada [PDF / 47.9KB]
Audio Files
Clip No. 1:
McDonalds is a number one supporter, and buyer of Canadian beef. Brad Wildeman, president of the Canadian Cattlemen’s Association, takes issue with the malicious and totally false emails that have been circulating suggesting the company has food safety issues while buying off-shore beef. He says there doesn’t have to be much accountability on the internet and defends the facts involving McDonalds:
(20… “merit.”)
Clip No. 2:
Wildeman personally toured a facility where McDonald’s burgers are produced. “The facility is world-class. Protocols and standards are tremendous. This assures the ultimate in food safety:”
(16… “today.”)
Clip No. 3:
Wildeman cautions that anyone receiving malicious emails referring to food safety and beef suppliers for McDonalds should totally disregard them:
(23… “well.”)
Clip No. 1:
McDonalds is a number one supporter, and buyer of Canadian beef. Brad Wildeman, president of the Canadian Cattlemen’s Association, takes issue with the malicious and totally false emails that have been circulating suggesting the company has food safety issues while buying off-shore beef. He says there doesn’t have to be much accountability on the internet and defends the facts involving McDonalds:
(20… “merit.”)
Clip No. 2:
Wildeman personally toured a facility where McDonald’s burgers are produced. “The facility is world-class. Protocols and standards are tremendous. This assures the ultimate in food safety:”
(16… “today.”)
Clip No. 3:
Wildeman cautions that anyone receiving malicious emails referring to food safety and beef suppliers for McDonalds should totally disregard them:
(23… “well.”)
McDonald’s statement on e-mail hoax [PDF / 15.38KB]
Setting the record straight - McDonald’s Canada and the Beef Information Centre issue joint news release [PDF / 66.86KB]
Globe and Mail
September 17, 2009
Letter to the Editor in response to article written on September 14 discussing Prairie ‘agri-preneurs’ battling farm waste
It obviously takes an energy guy to ‘sniff’ out an energy solution. Agriculture has actually been working on a practical digestor for years.
Byproducts from potato and meat processing, hog plants and other cattle feedlots are going into digestors across the country. Challenges of finding investing capital and not being able to easily get connected to the grid have slowed the building of digestors.
To read the CCA’s Letter to the Editor in full, click here. [PDF / 15.36KB]
TIME Magazine
September 1, 2009
Letter to the Editor in response to cover story on August 31, 2009, looking at the American food crisis
On behalf of 83,000 Canadian cattle producers I am writing to express shock and anger in the absolute lack of balance and objectivity in Bryan Walsh’s article featured as a cover story on August 31: America’s Food Crisis and How to Fix It. Your readers deserve better.
Using tabloid sensationalism Mr. Walsh made the decision to try and strike fear and guilt into the hearts of consumers in North America. In doing so he has smeared the reputations of family owned farms across the continent. Thousands of farm and ranch families take great pride in producing nutritious food that is safe, abundant and reasonably priced.
9-1-09 - CCA responds - TIME [PDF / 39.41KB]
National Farmers Union of Canada
On November 19, 2008 the National Farmers Union (NFU) of Canada released “The Farm Crisis and the Cattle Sector: Toward a New Analysis and New Solutions” report. The NFU report argues that retail and packer concentration, captive supplies, continental integration and an over dependence on exports since 1989 has resulted in a declining cattle price trend (in real dollar terms). This report raised a number of questions within industry regarding historical price trends, export dependence, profit margins and marketing practices.
Click here to read the full report. [PDF / 152.02KB]
