Ag Critic Wants Answers On China's Meat Ban

Aug 09, 2019

The Conservatives are demanding answers from the Liberal Government about China's ban on Canadian meat.

Back in June, export certificates believed to be forged were found attached to a batch of Canadian pork.

Federal Ag Critic, Luc Berthold, says they don't know what actions the Government is taking, if any.

Along with Trade Critic, Dean Allison, Berthold sent a letter to the Federal Agriculture Minister and Trade Minister on Thursday, August 8, asking what he calls "two simple questions".

"Has the CFIA (Canadian Food Inspection Agency) addressed the problem of counterfeit export certificates to the satisfaction of the Chinese Government? And how much money is this trade barrier with the Chinese Government costing Canada's pork and beef sectors?"

He says they're under the impression the Liberals are doing nothing to help solve this trade issue.

"If this is not a political crisis like they always say, it could be simple to fix the problem of this certificate," he said.

Berthold says they don't know why they've seen no progress on getting this market back, which is why the Government needs to provide answers.

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Video: Evolution of Beef Cattle Farming

The Clear Conversations podcast took to the road for a special episode recorded in Nashville during CattleCon, bringing listeners straight into the heart of the cattle industry. Host Tracy Sellers welcomed rancher Steve Wooten of Beatty Canyon Ranch in Colorado for a wide-ranging discussion that blended family history and sustainability, particularly as it relates to the future of beef production.

Sustainability emerged as a central theme of the conversation, a word that Wooten acknowledges can mean very different things depending on who you ask. For him, sustainability starts with the soil. Healthy soil produces healthy grass, which supports efficient cattle capable of producing year after year with minimal external inputs. It’s an approach that equally considers vegetation, animal efficiency, and long-term profitability.

That philosophy aligned naturally with Wooten’s involvement in the U.S. Roundtable for Sustainable Beef, where he served as a representative for the Colorado Cattlemen’s Association. The roundtable brings together the entire beef supply chain—from producers to retailers—along with universities, NGOs, and allied industries. Its goal is not regulation, Wooten emphasized, but collaboration, shared learning, and continuous improvement.