Quebec and Canadian cattle producers urge Health Canada to reconsider proposed regulations to add warning label on ground beef

June 16, 2022

Ottawa, ON – Cattle producers from Quebec and across the country are raising concerns with Health Canada’s proposed regulations to put a front-of-package warning label on ground beef, a single ingredient, nutrient dense protein.

If Health Canada moves forward with this proposed regulation, Canada will be the only country in the world to put a warning label on ground beef. This move would likely impact consumer confidence and be damaging to Quebec and other beef producers across the country.

Approximately 90 per cent of Canadians eat ground beef weekly and adding a warning label on ground beef would send the wrong signal to Canadian consumers. At a time when food security is front of mind, putting a warning label on ground beef, an affordable and readily accessible whole food, packed with nutrients, will mislead and confuse consumers.

We urge Quebecers and Canadians to voice their concerns with the Government of Canada. Please sign up at www.dontlabelmybeef.ca and send a letter of concern to your Member of Parliament. 

Quotes:

“The proposed policy change by Health Canada is misguided and will mislead consumers. Ground beef is an affordable protein, packed with nutrients and Health Canada needs to reconsider their policy proposal.”

Philippe Alain
Vice-chair, Les Producteurs de bovins du Québec
CCA board member from Quebec

“It doesn’t make sense if roast beef and whole hams are exempt, but the same source of protein is no longer acceptable after being ground. Almost 90 per cent of Canadians cook ground beef once a month or more. It, along with ground pork, continues to be an affordable source of protein in Canadian families’ diets. With the price of groceries up 10 per cent year-over-year and high inflation compounding production costs for Canadian farmers, now is not the time to add onerous red tape to our agri-food supply chains.”

Richard Lehoux
Member of Parliament for Beauce

“There is no logic in labeling a single-ingredient natural product. I can understand labeling processed products for public health purposes, but when people buy meat, they know what they are buying: a nutritious product with many essential nutrients. There is nothing wrong with consuming natural fats in meat in reasonable amounts. Let’s be consistent and not impose additional and unnecessary constraints on our producers.”  

Yves Perron
Member of Parliament for Berthier-Maskinongé

 “Single-ingredient foods, like Canadian ground beef, should not be included in Health Canada’s front-of-package labelling recommendations. We are looking for an equitable policy that considers the nutritional benefits of this affordable and versatile protein over ultra-processed foods.”

Kirk Jackson
Co-Chair of CCA’s Food Policy Committee

“As a Quebec beef producer, I am concerned that Health Canada feels that a nutritious product like ground beef would need to carry a damaging and, more importantly, unnecessary front-of-package warning label. Canadian farmers work hard to produce healthy food in a sustainable way, and this label will drive people away from an affordable protein that contributes iron, zinc, vitamin B12 and other essential nutrients that many Canadians need more of in their diets.”

Michel Daigle
Past President, National Cattle Feeders’ Association

For further information, contact:                                                                                                       

Michelle McMullen
Communications Manager
Canadian Cattlemen’s Association
403-451-0931| mcmullenm@cattle.ca

For a PDF of the statement, click here.