President’s Message
2023 was a year for global buzzwords like sustainability, supply chain integration and food safety & security.
While adverse weather conditions – either too much or not enough – plagued much of the country during the last growing season, producers found innovative ways to keep their herds healthy and fed – and the quality of our Canadian beef high. We’ve seen it all year – the world wants more of what we grow.
Keeping two-way lines of trade open with the UK is the goal of the ‘Say No to A Bad Deal’ campaign. We got the traction we did because our producers reached out to officials and made their voices heard. I’d like to thank producers for being so active in writing letters and talking to government – it made a difference.
Overseas markets continue to be lucrative and receptive. In 2023, our Indo-Pacific trade mission proved this. By continuing to push our market boundaries and building these relationships, we are forging new paths.
On the North American trade front, our trilateral talks with the US and Mexico to strengthen our integrated beef supply chain continued to be positive. The continent leads the largest integrated live cattle supply system in the world and serves as a model for the rest. The voluntary ‘Product of USA’ labelling issue remains a front we are pushing back on, and we are supported by a strong science and policy-based trade base.
A positive outcome of the 2023 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP28) was the realization that beef demand is going to increase globally. By 2050, the growing and more affluent global population is expected to drive up animal product demand by 20%, compared to 2020 levels.* As demand for our high quality beef increases, one of the challenges we face is keeping up with production.
Producers have faced many adverse issues over the past year and as we’ve pulled out of the pandemic, other global challenges have arisen but so have many opportunities. We are cultivating global relationships to ensure we preserve and grow our markets; we have earned our seats at the decision-making tables and we are ensuring our producer’s voices are heard.
We are producers working for producers and we need to stand united in our voices and efforts. Thank you for entrusting us with this honor and I want to thank our national producers and CCA staff for their continued dedication to the industry.
*FAO. 2023. Pathways towards lower emissions A global assessment of the greenhouse gas emissions and mitigation options from livestock agrifood systems. Rome https://doi.org/10.4060/cc9029en
Nathan Phinney
President
Canadian Cattle Association