June 13, 2013

ALMA would like to congratulate Dr. David Chalack for his recent appointment to the Alberta Energy Regulator Board.  This position helps determine the governance and direction of the province’s regulatory organization for oil, oil sands, natural gas and coal development, something that affects all Albertans.  We know that Dr. Chalack is a champion for efficient, safe, orderly and environmentally responsible development.

Follow these links to read the official announcement and to find out more about the other appointed board members.

June 12, 2013
Disease prevention and management is a top priority in Alberta’s feedlots. Three infectious organisms in particular – Histophilus somni (H. somni), Mycoplasma bovis (M. bovis) and bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV) – account for a large amount of feedlot diseases. Early detection is essential for the successful treatment of sick animals and the overall management strategy to prevent disease from spreading and affecting other animals. In partnership with the Alberta Livestock and Meat Agency (ALMA), Aquila Diagnostics Systems is working with the University of Saskatchewan’s Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization (VIDO) to create a low cost, chute side test that allows feedlot veterinarians and producers to detect these three diseases in the early stages.  More>>

June 6, 2013
Delta Genomics Centre (Delta) is an Edmonton based not-for-profit company that supplies DNA genomics services and technology to the livestock industry. Delta’s Single Nucleotide Polymorphism (SNP) panels are already used by the beef industry to identify traits like feed efficiency, tenderness and genetic defects. However, SNP’s can also be used to do sire parentage verification. Knowledge of which sire contributes to the growth and performance of the calves greatly increases the rate of genetic improvement. That is why Delta is collaborating with industry and the Alberta Livestock and Meat Agency (ALMA) to increase the awareness of the benefits of SNP technology, while also offsetting some of the costs involved with the transition. More>>

May 30, 2013

Efficiency and lean processing are more than just buzzwords at Intercity Packers. The Edmonton plant runs 20 hours a day out of a space barely larger than the average home, but it moves 100,000 kilograms of finished product through the door every week. The company achieves this feat by constantly refining the workflow and upgrading the equipment where possible. With funding from the Alberta Livestock and Meat Agency (ALMA), Intercity Packers is continuing to grow with new equipment, a new product line and long-term plans for more expansion in the future.  More>>

May 28, 2013

On May 23, ALMA’s Director of Strategic Initiatives appeared on Alberta Primetime to discuss Country of Origin Labeling (COOL) with interviewer Jennifer Martin.  Due to the USDA maintaining its COOL regulations, despite a deadline placed by World Trade Organization, Fournier speaks about the current effects on the Canadian beef and pork industries and the possible actions Canada will take moving forward. You can view the entire interview online at http://albertaprimetime.com/Stories.aspx?pd=5164 .

May 14, 2012
A new PBS television series is enhancing awareness of Alberta’s and Canada’s food industry by highlighting specific provincial specialties.

“Off the Beaten Palate” started as a journey through New Brunswick, as television personality Michael-Anne Rowe set out to experience where food comes from while visiting her birth province. The success of that episode brought more opportunities for Alberta and Ontario to participate in this foodie’s journey. During September 2012, Rowe and her crew toured Alberta ranches, restaurants and landmarks. More>>

May 6, 2013
On Friday, April 26^th, Brad Fournier, ALMA’s Director of Strategic Initiatives, joined representatives from Alberta’s agriculture, engineering and manufacturing industries for a meeting with the Honourable Edward Fast to discuss the Comprehensive Economic Trade Agreement (CETA) negotiations between Canada and the European Union (EU).  CETA is Canada’s largest bilateral trade agreement since the signing of NAFTA and with close to 500 million people living in the EU, it presents a significant opportunity for increased trade of meat and livestock products from Alberta.  Therefore, ALMA looks forward to the successful negotiation of CETA in the near future. 

Photo from left: Brad Fournier, ALMA; Darcy Fitzgerald, Alberta Pork; Ken Pilip, Consulting Engineers of Alberta; John Tucker, Nelson Environmental Remediation; Honourable Edward Fast, Minister of International Trade; Ward Toma, Alberta Canola Producers Commission; Rich Smith, Alberta Beef Producers; Warren Sheydwasser, LogiCan Technologies Inc.

May 3, 2013
Ted Bilyea has recently authored an article published in Choices Magazine entitled, “A Canadian Perspective on Emerging Issues of NAFTA and Competitive Liberalization in the Global Meat Trade.”  Follow the link to read about the history of Canadian beef and pork market access, as well as the current and future challenges and opportunities facing the industry.

April 30, 2013
We would like to express our appreciation to the Beef Food Summit participants for their time and constructive contribution to the Summit dialogues. Together we grappled with what was needed to leverage our competitive advantages, what it would take to be more profitable and competitive, how to respond to the needs of our customers and consumers, and how we could work more collectively on issues and opportunities.
 

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Follow these links to the Summit II Straw Man Framework and Poll Results

April 23, 2013
Today, dogs and cats are much more than just the family pet; they are an extension of the family unit. With our increased attention to animal welfare and care, pets have become our companions whose health and happiness we value. With grants from the Alberta Livestock and Meat Agency (ALMA), several Alberta pet food processors are catering to our pet companions by providing pet foods that incorporate natural, organic and eco-friendly ingredients. More>>

April 17, 2013
Marinating meat in brine is a proven way to enhance the cuts with unique flavours and added moisture. Unfortunately, though, the injection aspect of the marinating process can be a potential source of contamination if the solutions are not optimized for food safety. Many processors have developed proprietary brine mixtures that include microbe-suppressing extracts like green tea in addition to commercially-approved antimicrobials, but there is no public source of information on the best combinations. With funding from the Alberta Livestock and Meat Agency (ALMA), Dr. Lynn McMullen of the University of Alberta led a research project to evaluate different combinations and provide data that all processors can access. This research was part of a collaborative research program with Dr. Frances Nattress at AAFC, Lacombe and Dr. Zeb Pietrasik at the Food Processing Development Centre, Leduc.  More>>

April 15, 2013
ALMA's new, three‐year business plan builds on the industry’s reputation for producing high quality products and is focused on positioning the industry to take advantage of these opportunities. ALMA has put in place a plan to help industry reach their objectives, but it will depend on all industry players – producers, processors, and retailers – to embrace ALMA’s role as a catalyst to realize their ambitious goals. View the 2013-16 Business Plan>>

April 12, 2013
With consumers from local and international markets increasingly demanding hormone- and antibiotic-free meat products, Dr. Douglas Inglis, a researcher with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, in partnership with the Universities of Alberta (Dr. Richard Uwiera, Department of Agricultural, Food and Nutritional Science) and Calgary (Dr. John Kastelic, Department of Production Animal Health), and the Alberta Livestock and Meat Agency (ALMA), is researching ways to limit the use of antibiotics in Alberta herds. More>>

April 9, 2013

Beef Summit II provides momentum for transformation
By Sheri Monk

It felt more like the birth of a movement than just another beef meeting when champions of the cattle industry gathered for the second Beef Summit in Calgary on March 27.

“After today, this thing either goes away, or goes forward,” said Dave Andrews, one of three men who volunteered their time to build the draft or ‘straw man’ beef industry strategy and guide the dialogue throughout the day. 

But what is this “thing” that Andrews speaks about? It’s almost easier to say what it isn’t than what it is. It’s not an association. It’s not an organization. It’s not a business enterprise or a government initiative. It’s just a bunch of people in the beef business from all sectors sitting down at the same table to try and hammer out a new philosophy for the Canadian cattle business – a more sustainable and profitable strategy for everyone.  More>>

April 3, 2013
When the Hoekstra and Dykman families pooled their capital and experience in the meat and livestock industry, their new butcher shop all but named itself. Family Meats Ltd. has served Central Alberta for only a few short years, but the business is already showing strong growth.

In 2011, Family Meats moved into an 8,500 square foot processing plant, which led to a new company focus on expanding their product lines to match their increasing capacity. In partnership with the Alberta Livestock and Meat Agency, Family Meats aims to launch 11 new value-added items using locally sourced meats. More>>