The Canadian Cattle Association (CCA) is welcoming the announcement that Taiwan is restoring full market access for Canadian beef in the coming weeks. Canada’s Minister of International Trade, Mary Ng, shared the news in a tweet late Thursday, while attending the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) meeting in Detroit. “Cattle producers are pleased to learn… Read More
Category: BSE Crisis 20 years later
This weekend marks the 20 year anniversary of Bovine spongiform encephalopathy, or more commonly known as BSE, being found in an Alberta cow, leading to the historic crash in the Canadian cattle industry. Dennis Laycraft, executive vice president of the Canadian Cattle Association, was on the front lines, and recalls the process that began with… Read More
Nathan Phinney, now president of the Canadian Cattle Association, was just finished university and ready to ship some fat cattle for a decent pay day when the BSE news hit. The beef producer from New Brunswick says the impact of the BSE finding in 2003 was a “crippling blow” to not just cattle prices, but… Read More
Thanks for tuning in to RealAg Radio brought to you by Pioneer Seeds Canada. On this special Thursday edition of the Farmer Rapid Fire, we’re focusing on the 20th anniversary of BSE. Host Shaun Haney is joined by: Ken Schaus of Bruce County, Ont.; Tim Oleksyn of Prince Albert, Sask.; Leighton Kolk of Iron Springs,… Read More
Imagine for a moment receiving 1,000 requests for media interviews in one single day. If you’ve ever worked as a communications contact or spokesperson for an event or group, that number should bowl you over. It’s a tidal wave of attention, and, in 2003, all those asks were of the beef industry. At the time,… Read More
The immediate impact of finding a BSE-positive cow in Alberta in 2003 was swift and brutal. Overnight, Canada’s export market evaporated and prices for cattle, especially older animals, tanked. As we look back on the decades that have followed, the longer-lasting impacts have been monumental, but not necessarily as clear. To dive in to what… Read More
It’s hard to believe that it has been 20 years since the BSE crisis struck Canada. The memories of that time still feel vivid, as if it were just yesterday. Last week’s comments from a farmer in the Maritimes about the ongoing impact of the crisis reminded me of its lasting impacts. Even after two… Read More