Federal government invests $200k in Verified Beef Production Plus program

The minister of agriculture and agri-food, Marie-Claude Bibeau, has announced nearly $200,000 in support of the Canadian Cattlemen’s Association’s (CCA’s) Verified Beef Production Plus (VBP+) program and remote auditing.

The VBP+ program is a voluntary certification program administered by the CCA to certify beef cattle operations meet high standards for food safety, animal care and environmental stewardship.

The funding will go toward a web portal and an app for remote audits, which will make it easier for cattle producers to access the VBP+ program. The funding brings the total Government of Canada investment into VBP+ and its environmental component, the Certified Sustainable Beef Framework, to $1.9 million.

With over 1.6 million cattle already under the management of certified VBP+ operations in Canada, this announcement will help more cattle producers meet market demands for sustainably raised beef.

“Canadian cattle producers care for their animals and our environment. Canada’s beef industry, through the leadership of the Canadian Cattlemen’s Association and it’s Verified Beef Production Plus program, is stepping up to meet the demands of consumers for food made to the highest standards for safety, animal care and environmental stewardship. This investment will help give more cattle producers access to this indispensable program and strengthen their relationship with consumers,” said Bibeau.