On Wednesday, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, Marie-Claude Bibeau, announced an investment of up to $543,271 to support efforts by the Canadian Meat Council (CMC) to grow Canada's red meat exports.
"Canada's red meat industry is a strong driver of our nation's economy. This investment will help the industry diversity its exports and develop markets by building new trade relationships. Our producers and processors are at the heart of the vitality of our rural communities, and we will continue to support them," said Bibeau.
With funding under the AgriMarketing Program, the CMC will implement a global market strategy that aims to maintain existing markets and identify new opportunities to diversify trade.
In collaboration with the Canadian Pork Council (CPC) and the Canadian Cattlemen's Association (CCA), the CMC is undertaking activities such as trade advocacy missions, engaging with in-market intelligence specialists, and arranging inspection visits by international officials to demonstrate compliance with food safety standards for export. This work will help build and strengthen relationships with foreign industry partners and boost Canada's reputation for high-quality and safe products.
"CMC along with Canadian Pork Council and Canadian Cattlemen's Association are grateful for the support given to our industry through the AgriMarketing program. This funding allows us to do valuable advocacy by reaching out to our counterparts and build allies to help influence decision-making in these markets. We are thankful that the government recognizes the importance of foreign markets for the meat industry as the demand keeps growing for our high-quality Canadian meat around the world," said Chris White, President and CEO, Canadian Meat Council.
Canada's red meat sector saw exports worth more than $9.4 billion in 2021.