Manitoba Beef Producers (MBP) and the Manitoba Veterinary Medical Association (MVMA) are working to ensure that local producers who wish to see their beef potentially enter the European Union (EU) market can meet the EU beef production criteria related to the use of growth enhancing products.

“Through the Canada-European Union Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA), Canada has the tremendous opportunity to ship as much as 50,000 tonnes of beef to Europe annually,” explained Manitoba Beef Producers President Tom Teichroeb. “However, interested cow-calf producers and feedlot operations must adhere to the Canadian Program for Certifying Freedom from Growth Enhancing Products (GEPs) for Export of Beef to the EU, and have their compliance certified by an approved veterinarian.”

That certification process begins with having a Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) approved veterinarian inspect interested operations and complete necessary compliance paperwork. There are a few veterinarians based in, or working in Manitoba, who are CFIA approved vets for the EU GEP Free Program.

“MBP is working with the MVMA to seek out and make available the names of Manitoba vets who have completed the CFIA training and who can assist local producers and feedlot operations to become certified,” said MBP General Manager Brian Lemon. “MBP will be making these names available to interested producers and feedlot operations so they can meet the requirements for that beef to enter the EU market.”

Locally, True North Foods is working to achieve certification to ship beef into the EU market.

“Growing our market access is so valuable. With CETA, qualifying Manitoba beef should be able to enter the EU marketplace, and that is very exciting,” said Calvin Vaags, President and CEO of True North Foods. “There are already a lot of local producers who are not using hormones, so I can see them looking into and participating in the program so that our high-quality local beef can end up in the hands of European consumers.”

To see the list of Manitoba vets who can certify beef operations as meeting the criteria to enter the EU market, contact the Manitoba Veterinary Medical Association at (204) 832-1276 or 1 (866) 338-6862.