.jpg)
Manitoba Beef Producers has been looking at the western provinces’ program of mandatory livestock inspection, where livestock inspectors are at the auction mart drop-off sites to confirm ownership – and to ensure sales don’t happen without that proof of ownership.
The mandatory livestock inspection proposal will be discussed at this week's 46th Annual General Meeting for Manitoba Beef Producers in Winnipeg.
The AGM will feature panel discussions, resolutions debate, a trade show and it will be a great opportunity to interact with fellow beef producers, other members of the value chain, and government officials.
But the mandatory livestock inspection discussion and vote will be one of the major topics of discussion and Manitoba's beef producers are strongly encouraged to participate.
Over the past few years, Manitoba has faced significant challenges with cattle theft and fraud, resulting in substantial financial losses for producers, says General Manager Carson Callum.
"Our board recognized the need to strengthen the value chain, particularly in terms of ownership verification," explains Callum. "In contrast, provinces like Saskatchewan, Alberta, and British Columbia have mandatory livestock inspection services. These services ensure that during commercial transactions, such as animals being taken to auction markets, inspectors are present to confirm ownership and prevent sales without proper ownership verification."
Currently, Manitoba's livestock inspection occurs on the back end of sales, with inspectors lacking the authority to prevent theft or fraud. Implementing a mandatory inspection service similar to our western neighbors would involve having inspectors at the forefront, verifying animals' ownership at drop-off locations. This change would require legislative adjustments to grant inspectors more authority, enhancing the overall security of livestock transactions.
" ... It was to provide more security for various lending institutions that provide dollars towards raising cattle."
Callum adds another significant benefit of a mandatory inspection service is the increased security it would provide for financial institutions involved in cattle lending.
"We've been getting feedback over the last few years of the concerns from financial institutions and the security involved in lending for cattle, because there is no real proof of ownership, there's no system in place to confirm ownership for the most part, when there are those commercial transactions." he explains.
"So, lenders are kind of indicating to us as an industry that they're worried about Manitoba in general. So that's another reason why our board really wants to look into this potential services. It was to provide more security for various lending institutions that provide dollars towards raising cattle," adds Callum.
Additional benefits that our western neighbors have seen is the assistance in livestock inspection on disease tracing.
"So, if there is a disease such as tuberculosis that comes up, it's a lot easier to lean on the inspection service in those provinces to see where animals have moved. So, you know where quarantines need to happen, and all those things related to an animal disease outbreak."
"So, those are the other benefits," notes Callum. "It's not just related to ownership proof that we're really looking into."
Please listen to more with Carson Callum below.
For more information on this week's AGM please visit their website HERE!
For most frequently asked questions regarding the mandatory livestock inspection HERE.
The Manitoba Beef Producers AGM evening of February 20th will feature the President’s Banquet with award presentations, recognition of retiring board members, and entertainment.