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The consolidation of beef processing plants in Alberta has kept meat prices affordable in Canada but has also made the industry vulnerable to disease outbreaks, according to a new report.
The University of Calgary’s School of Public Policy study released Wednesday warned that beef production shutdowns similar to what occurred early in the pandemic could “easily happen again.” COVID-19 rattled the beef industry and raised awareness about consolidation after coronavirus outbreaks forced the temporary closure of multiple meat-packing plants last spring, pushing up retail prices and lowering cattle prices.
About 70 per cent of Canada’s beef production is located in just two Alberta plants. The study by the Simpson Centre for Agricultural and Food Innovation said creating a greater number of smaller-scale facilities scattered across the country would better insulate the food industry from a future pandemic.
Megascale slaughterhouses, meat-packing plants put beef industry at risk: Report
Cows and their calves graze in a pasture on a farm near Cremona, Alta., Wednesday, June 26, 2019. A new report says the consolidation of Canada s beef processing plants has made the industry vulnerable to disease outbreaks, warning that shutdowns similar to what occurred early in the COVID-19 pandemic could easily happen again. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh December 16, 2020 - 1:28 PM
CALGARY - The consolidation of beef processing plants in Alberta has kept meat prices affordable in Canada but has also made the industry vulnerable to disease outbreaks, according to a new report.
Megascale slaughterhouses, meat-packing plants put beef industry at risk: Report
by The Canadian Press
Last Updated Dec 16, 2020 at 1:28 pm EDT
CALGARY A new report says the consolidation of Canada’s beef processing plants has made the industry vulnerable to disease outbreaks, warning that shutdowns similar to what occurred early in the COVID-19 pandemic could “easily happen again.”
The University of Calgary’s School of Public Policy study released today says creating a greater number of smaller-scale facilities scattered across the country would better insulate the food industry from a future pandemic.
Yet the report by the Simpson Centre for Agricultural and Food Innovation says “megascale” slaughterhouses and meat-packing plants benefit from economies of scale that keep prices lower for consumers.
Winnipeg Free Press By: The Canadian Press
Last Modified: 3:28 PM CST Wednesday, Dec. 16, 2020
CALGARY - The consolidation of beef processing plants in Alberta has kept meat prices affordable in Canada but has also made the industry vulnerable to disease outbreaks, according to a new report.
Cows and their calves graze in a pasture on a farm near Cremona, Alta., Wednesday, June 26, 2019. A new report says the consolidation of Canada s beef processing plants has made the industry vulnerable to disease outbreaks, warning that shutdowns similar to what occurred early in the COVID-19 pandemic could easily happen again. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh