Is There a Mechanic in the Crowd? This wasn’t the type of exercise many had planned for. Close to 30 people planned to be merrily pedaling around town on this multi-seated bike—but when an axle broke it was an uphill job to get it back to the hospital area for a diagnosis. Although this ride, organized by the Provost Health Centre and related staff was short-lived, it still brought in over $5,000 for the Heart and Stroke Foundation. Later in the day a welder repaired the unit and staff from CIBC took over cycling duties and raised over $800. ©Provost News Photo. Print version in June 25 edition of The News.
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$460 Million For Cattle Industry
But U.S. Border Still Closed
A cost-shared aid package for the cattle industry includes a maximum of $276 million from the federal government and a maximum of $184 million from provincial and territorial governments. The exact costs will depend on how soon the U.S. border reopens to Canadian beef.
This assistance is designed to sustain the beef and cattle industry until the international borders re-open for exports.
Because these payments will reduce the draw on federal-provincial-territorial farm income programs, the net cost to governments of providing this assistance will be lower.
The Alberta government has committed $100 million to the short-term national program that will compensate producers for the impact border closures have had on domestic cattle prices.
The measures will be in place until there is a reopening of the U.S. border to beef products, or until the approximately 900,000 cattle on feed as of May 20 have been slaughtered (except for cull cows, veal and other ruminants for which the program will operate until no later than August 31), or until funds for the program are exhausted.
The U.S. market and all of Canada's other major export markets for beef and cattle closed on May 20 after one cow in Alberta tested positive for Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE).
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Canada exports 60 per cent of its total annual production of beef and live cattle. Although extensive testing has not detected a single other case of BSE, markets remain closed, creating a growing surplus of beef and cattle.
Under the program, producers who sell their fed cattle for slaughter can get compensation on a sliding scale based on changes in the average weekly market price of beef. Assistance is available for all cattle on feed before May 20 that have since been sold for slaughter.
This program is a temporary measure to help the beef and cattle industry through a difficult time and does not affect existing safety net programs. If the borders remain closed for a prolonged period, the program will be re-evaluated.
Under the compensation program, developed with the input and support of the cattle industry, producers will cover a minimum of 10 per cent of their losses due to the decline in cattle prices. The remainder will be cost-shared between the federal government (60 per cent) and the provinces and territories (40 per cent). Additional funding for Alberta’s share of this program will come out of the sustainability fund established in Budget 2003.
The provincial government believes that while the program provides compensation to the cattle industry only, the spin-off effects will aid others affected by BSE: the trucking industry will begin to move more cattle as beef sales pick up; employees of meat packing and processing facilities will have more work; and veterinary clinics, feed mills and machinery dealers may see increased business.
Rest of story in June 25 edition of The Provost News.
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