‘Through the program, producers learn about industry-best practices and get ideas to increase the resiliency of their operations against risk,’ said provincial Agriculture and Irrigation Minister RJ Sigurdson
An on-farm food safety program in Alberta has received a nearly $2-million funding boost from the provincial and federal governments, announced during a news conference at the Calgary Stampede on Wednesday.
Federal Agriculture Minister Lawrence MacAulay announced the $1.9-million contribution alongside provincial Agriculture and Irrigation Minister RJ Sigurdson at the Nutrien Western Event Centre.
The grant will support Alberta Beef Producers’ Verified Beef Production Plus (VBP+) program. It provides producers training, a third-party farm audit and certification that confirms their operation meets the highest standards of beef production.
The funding comes from the Sustainable Canadian Agriculture Agreement, which aims to inject roughly $500 million into Canada’s agriculture sector by 2028.
Through VBP+, Alberta ranchers are able to access up to $5,000 to help align their operations with the program’s certification requirements. These could include fees for audits, livestock handling equipment or herd management software.
An operation that completes the VBP+ training but has not yet achieved certification can still access up to $2,500 for the same approved expenses, according to a news release.
Sigurdson noted the funding announced Wednesday intends to simplify the process of becoming VBP+ certified and help producers build on Alberta’s already high beef production standards.
He said 20 per cent of cattle in Alberta are raised on ranches with the certification.
“Through the program, producers learn about industry-best practices and get ideas to increase the resiliency of their operations against risk,” he said. “With this investment, Alberta Beef producers will increase awareness of the program across the province to make it easier and cheaper than ever for farmers and ranchers to lead the way in food safety, animal care, biosecurity and environmental stewardship.”
‘Alberta truly is a beef province’
Beef remained Alberta’s largest agri-food export in 2023, Sigurdson said, at just under $4 billion, or nearly 22 per cent of the provincial total.
“As everyone here is surely aware, Alberta truly is a beef province,” he said, noting that Alberta houses roughly 4.8 million head of cattle, or nearly half of Canada’s total.
According to the Alberta government, 394 Alberta farms are currently VBP+ certified, and more than one million acres of native grassland are managed by these operations.
Brody Hogan, the chair of Alberta Beef Producers’ board of directors, said the grant announced Wednesday will incentivize certification and make it easier for beef producers to ensure their product meets the highest standards and quality.
He noted Alberta’s beef sector creates approximately 55,000 jobs.
“VBP+ is more than a certification; it’s a promise to consumers that our beef meets the highest standards,” Hogan said. “The program enhances transparency, helps to identify areas for continual improvement and aligns it with sustainable indicators.”
Wednesday’s announcement comes after a similar contribution MacAulay confirmed Monday for $6 million in federal funding toward two beef and cattle organizations. That funding comes through the AgriMarketing Program, another initiative under the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership.
“The world wants what we produce here in Canada — especially our top-quality beef,” MacAulay said.