Where’s the Beef? In Our Own Back Yard
Tuesday, December 4, 2012 @ 3:56 AM
Prince George, B.C. – Cattle ranchers along the Highway 16 corridor can expect some assistance in getting their beef to local markets.
The “Beyond the Marketplace” program, operated through Community Futures Fraser Fort George, has launched the Beef Value Chain Initiative.
It is a pilot project that will provide ranchers in the region the opportunity to finish, process, and market their beef locally, resulting in more dollars into their business and into the local economy. To support this, the initiative will develop a practical local value-added business model for the beef industry across the Highway 16 region.
Merrick is confident the opportunities are real as the region’s ranchers produced over 30,000 beef cows last year, there are 3 provincially inspected meat processing facilities in the Highway 16 region and a butcher shop in almost every town. “ At the same time,” says Merrick “we have restaurants, resource camps, specialty retailers, fishing, hunting and skiing lodges, and cafeterias all across the region that use beef. In many cases, the necessary infrastructure and opportunities to build the local industry are already in place, and the corridor is connected by several modes of transportation to support shipping. What is needed is a major shift in the business practices and the establishment of direct rancher-to-buyer relationships. We aim to assist with that process.”
The goal is to open the door for more local residents and visitors to enjoy locally produced beef by generating new market opportunities and sales for the local beef industry. It is hoped that this project will serve as a model for ranching communities across British Columbia.
Comments
It’s about time. This is great news
While I can appreciate thier efforts there is a huge logistics problem involved.
Local beef along highway 16 will not provide cheaper products, because they cannot compete with the large slaughter houses in Alberta, and do not get the economys of scale. In addition transportation costs would in all probability be higher, because of the reduced amount shipped anywhere at any given moment.
You will end up with a duel system ie; Commercial stores such a Cosco Save on etc; continuing to use thier present suppliers and others using the local suppliers.
The population of North West BC from 100 Mile House to Ft St John to Pr Rupert, is approx 310,000 people, hardly a sufficient number to make local butchering and distribution a profitable business, especially if you have to share the market with the mass producers on the Prairies etc;
I suspect that if people did not go to WalMart and Costco for the cheap meat etc;, they might stand a chance, however I cant see many people in this area, paying more to support this idea.
I wish them well, but have my doubts.
You don’t think that especially after the XL crisis, more people will be willing to pay a higher price for quality local beef? Homesteader Meats and Rogers Deli certainly seem to have no lack of customers. And is it really more expensive? I’m looking at Save-on’s most recent sale flyer. $5.99 for 375 gr of garlic coil, and comapre it to the local Kawano packing plant which sells for $4.99/lb or $4.10 for the equivalent amount – $1.80 cheaper to buy local. Unfortunately the save-on flyer doesn’t list many other meats by lb (it’s mostly by ‘package’) so it’s hard to compare – but I expect the prices are more competitive than you think.
It does not matter on the cost of this beef to me. This is a very big movement in Vancouver and bigger cities in Canada right now,,”the 50-100 mile diet”, or as I look at it the idea of me knowing where my food comes from. I am doing this with sustainable fish right now, and the cost is really not that bad…I cant wait for this program to start.
I have been buying meat locally from Rodgers, Shoppers, Highway 16 West, Farmers Markets, etc; along with produce when I can, for years and years. The price is always higher, which means diddly squat to me, as I prefer to support locals whenever I can.
My point is, is that Walmart, Costco, Save On, Super Store etc; have cheaper prices, and you only have to look at thier parking lots to see where the shoppers are.
People I talk to would never consider paying $5.00 per dozen for eggs from the Farmers market when they can get them for $3.00 from Walmart. Same thing for meat.
Like I say. I wish them the best, and they already have my support, but people to-day are taxed to the hilt, are up to thier asses in service charges, pay more for gas than other areas, more for fuel, and electricity, and because a huge number of them are on assisted living, pensions, or are low income, they will NOT be running around paying higher prices for food.
Its only those who have higher incomes, that can afford to be choosy.
There is no way there is enough product of any kind to supply Prince George with a 50 – 100 Mile diet. We have no choice to bring product in from elsewhere. Also, I like to buy local and o whenver I can, but just because it is local doesn’t guarantee it is going to be free of things like ecoli and other strains of bacteria. It depends on the cleanliness of the packing plant.
The XL recall was a bungled up mess from the start. Of the millions of dollars of product that was destroyed only a small portion of it was bad. Only 17 people got sick from it. There are many people that get sick from other food borne illnesses every day which aren’t reported.
If you have ever watched the “market place” episode about meat tenderizing procedures in stores like walmart, costco, and other bring box stores, you would never ever buy meat there. When you get a steak at walmart that looks like it should be flank meat and it is as tender as tenderloin you KNOW something aint right, and I am not putting that crap in my body. I buy direct from free range cattle farmers and that is the ONLY way I will buy any beef these days. For those who are interested, go online to cbc.ca and look for the market place episode under the “watch” tab and you will never see meat from these store the same way again.
bring = big…sheesh.
I agree with But – the inlaws own a free range cattle ranch and the meat is completely different. Most people dont even know that true fresh beef is almost purple in colour. When I see that obscenely bright red crap packaged up at Wally world I can only imagine what is in it – gag
This latest idea is good, but I sure hope it does not do harm to those who put it all on the line to make their slaughterhouse conform with the new regs. that came in after the ‘mad cow’ crisis.
Outfits like Kawano Farms sunk a lot of money into infrastructure.
Having said that, I’m all for any program that will help more people to wake up and buy grass fed local beef, stay away from the crap on offer at the big stores.
metalman.
I had food poisoning last weekend and it was horrible. Worst I had in 20 years. I have no idea where I got it from, but I know I wasn’t the only one… I know of others that got it recently too. Luckily I didn’t pass it on to my wife and son.
For me money isn’t the option when it comes to my food. Never has been and last weekend only reinforces that belief.
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