August 17, 2006

Manitoba’s Cattle Enhancement Council is officially open for business and will now collect a refundable two-dollar levy to develop successful Manitoba slaughter facilities beginning Sept. 1, Agriculture, Food and Rural Initiatives Minister Rosann Wowchuk announced today.

Creating a refundable cattle levy to help build local slaughter capacity will encourage co-operation between producers and government and will ultimately accelerate the creation of Manitoba-owned slaughter projects, Wowchuk said.

“Rising transportation costs and a heightened threat of border closures have only intensified the need to increase slaughter capacity here in Manitoba,” said the minister. “Co-operation between industry and government on this critical issue is essential and we are confident that making the levy refundable will ensure we can move forward in partnership toward a common goal of strengthening Manitoba’s cattle industry.”

The Cattle Enhancement Council will operate under the mandate it was given in March, administering a fund that will provide an investment pool to help finance new or expanded slaughter facilities and support value-added processing in Manitoba. The two-dollar levy will be collected at point of sale.

The province will match producer contributions to the investment fund, to be reviewed after two years. The province has already provided an initial $1-million contribution to the council and announced in March repayable start-up financing of $10 million.

“Members of the council have made significant progress and the feedback we have received from producers since the council’s establishment in March has been invaluable,” Wowchuk said. “The council is open for business and ready to review proposals for slaughter facilities that will directly benefit producers and provide new economic development opportunities in rural communities.”

The six-member Cattle Enhancement Council includes Don Yanick, Neil Van Ryssel, Gaylene Dutchyshen, Albert Todosichuk, R. Harvey Harland and Bill Uruski. Kathleen Butler was recently hired as executive director.

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