VBP+ NEWS RELEASE
For Immediate Release
July 12, 2019
The Verified Beef Production Plus (VBP+) program, under the umbrella of the Beef Cattle Research Council, a division of the Canadian Cattlemen’s Association (CCA), welcomes the investment of $602,250 from the Canadian Agriculture Partnership (CAP) Agri-Assurance program, announced Wednesday by Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada Marie-Claude Bibeau.
These funds will be directed to multiple VBP+ activities, including
- training platform modifications to meet educational demands by producers for continuous improvement in sustainability,
- increased database capacity and functionality by automating processes where practical and ensuring growing demand is met while adding value and minimizing the cost of the verification process for producers,
- advancing assessments of equivalency with existing industry programs to provide more value to producers who move through the verification process, and
- developing a system to determine the impact of training on changes in sustainable production practices.
“By advancing the development of our training resources for cattle producers, enhancing our database capabilities and establishing equivalency with similar quality assurance programs and training platforms, Verified Beef Production Plus (VBP+) services will be cost-efficient while delivering the greatest value to all Canadian beef producers,” said Cecilie Fleming, Chair of the VBP+ Management Committee and a cattle producer near Granum, Alberta.
The expansion of the VBP+ program to meet growing demands and continue advancing sustainability efforts by the industry are expected to increase market demand and consumer confidence in the beef sector.
This funding is part of a recent announcement by Minister Bibeau at the Calgary Stampede of an $8.3 million investment for six projects in Canada’s beef value chain. Of that, a total of $1.7 million is directed to two of the CCA’s operating divisions: $602,250 in funding for VBP+ and $1.1 million for the Canadian Roundtable for Sustainable Beef.
For more information contact Shannon Argent, VBP+ Business Manager at argents@beefresearch.ca or call 403-818-7415.
– 30 –
