Media Release
For Immediate Release
November 25, 2015
Canadian Western Agribition, hosted a round table meeting yesterday focussed on improving dialogue between Canadian and American beef producers.
Producers from Colorado, Indiana, Minnesota and Nebraska met with their Canadian counterparts through this program organized by the Canadian Consulates in Minneapolis and Denver and the Saskatchewan Stock Growers Association (SSGA).
Discussion topics focussed on the integration of meat and livestock industries, social license, intergenerational succession planning and key trade issues such as U.S. Mandatory Country of Origin Labelling (COOL) and the Trans-Pacific Partnership.
“The North American cattle industry operates as an integrated market and by working together on shared issued and eliminating trade barriers such as COOL both our countries can benefit greatly,” said SSGA 2nd Vice President Bill Huber.
Ashley Kohls, Executive Director of the Minnesota State Cattlemen’s Association, stated “it’s important that we, as beef producers, sit at the same table to discuss and develop trade priorities with our closest trade allies. This allows us to foster new and improved trade opportunities and build relationships that will elevate the North American beef industry.”
The meeting allowed for candid face-to-face engagement on issues and opportunities of mutual interest for the sector. More often than not, the challenges being faced by the sectors on each sides of the border are quite similar. The roundtable allows participants to exchange ideas on shaping the sector for future success and bilateral cooperation.
SSGA is a province-wide member driven advocacy organization representing independent self-reliant cattle producers’ interests for 102 years. The SSGA advocates through education, communication, and research for an economically and environmentally sustainable cattle industry where cattlemen are free to do business–within a free and open market place, free from industry limiting laws and regulation.
For more information contact:
Chad MacPherson, General Manager, SSGA
306-541-5023
ssga@sasktel.net
www.skstockgrowers.com
