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Compensation urgently needed for Ontario
beef industry
June 10, 2003 (Guelph) -Ron
Wooddisse, president of the Ontario Cattlemen’s Association (OCA) says
today that unless there is an immediate and meaningful compensation plan
announced, the current disaster in the beef industry will become a
catastrophe. Said Wooddisse, "Government investment at this point
is essential and the only way to prevent huge future losses."
Twenty-one days after the announcement of
one BSE positive cow, the Ontario beef industry is under severe pressure
as a result of border closures terminating access to major export
markets. OCA has worked closely with the Canadian Cattlemen’s
Association and both national and provincial government officials to
develop a contingency plan to restore strength and confidence in the
marketplace.
However, immediate funding is required to
protect liquidity of the feedlot sector. Mike McMorris, Executive
Director of OCA said, "Both levels of government need to take a
leadership role in this situation and recognize the value of the beef
industry."
In Ontario, there are approximately
21,000 producers impacted by the current BSE situation. Beef is the
second largest commodity in terms of annual farm gate receipts with a
value of approximately $1.2 billion. Beef exports from Ontario to the
U.S.A., in 2002, were valued at $354 million in live cattle and an
additional $292 million in beef product.
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