Farm Credit Canada (FCC) has announced an incentive program for producers who are certified through the Canadian Roundtable for Sustainable Beef (CRSB).
“How it works is if you are an FCC customer, and you are already certified, you’re eligible for the FCC incentive payment,” says Curtis Grainger, director of lending products and sustainability programs with FCC. “And that can be up to $2,000, depending on how much lending you have with us.”
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The incentive program has been in the works for a few months, according to Grainger. He says the inspiration for this started when FCC and CRSB saw a need to recognize the good work ranchers are doing for the grasslands.
“We felt it was important to first recognize producers for what they’re already doing for those who are already certified. And then encourage others to join the CRSB certification process as we think there’s value in that recognition in the market,” says Grainger.
Anne Wasko, the chair of the Canadian Roundtable of Sustainable Beef, says certification is important because consumers are asking more questions about where their beef comes from.
“(Certification’s) aim is to recognize sustainability practices in beef production,” Wasko says. “And to help these producers or retailers or more foodservice folks to meet their sustainability commitments. We want to assure Canadian consumers their beef has been raised responsibly.”
There are three certification bodies in Canada where producers can get certified through the CRSB — Verified Beef Production Plus, Where Food Comes From Canada and the Ontario Corn Fed Beef Quality Assurance Program.
Grainger says the amount producers can get is based on their lending with FCC, with a maximum amount of $2,000 per year.
“In an ideal world, this will be around for a really long time,” says Grainger. “But we need to measure success for the program. We want to see how many additional producers get certified while continuing to recognize those who are already certified.”
Currently, there are around 1,300 producers in Canada who are certified with CRSB. Grainger hopes through this program, that number will start increasing.
“That’s really the goal behind the incentive payment, as we know producers work hard, and they put a lot of time and energy into this kind of stuff,” he says. “And we feel like an incentive payment is what’s required to recognize all the work that producers are doing in this space.”
Wasko says the FCC incentive program, the first of its kind, could pave the way for more like it.
“I’m sure excited that the potential is there. We certainly hear a lot of our members and stakeholders talking about how we can get involved and looking for ways. And so I think this is just shining a light on different ways that different parts of our industry can get involved in beef sustainability, even if you aren’t a producer. So I do hope that it lights the fire for the next stage.”
