Our October Issue

October 2020

PROTECTING THE HEALTH AND SAFETY OF FARM WORKERS DURING COVID-19

Restaurant Sector Key to Canada Bringing Back 1 Million Jobs What Happened to Our CETA Hopes?

Join Reiser at Their Live, Online 2020 Virtual Trade Show World’s 1st Pizza Subscription Services Launches in Toronto

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October 2020

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FCC’s School Donations Support Learning by Addressing Hunger Protecting the Health and Safety of Farm Workers during COVID-19 What Happened to Our CETA Hopes?

Restaurant Sector Key to Canada Bringing Back 1 Million Jobs Join Reiser at Their Live, Online 2020 Virtual Trade Show

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Meatpackers Accelerate Automation after Outbreaks World’s 1st Pizza Subscription Service Launches in Toronto New Federal Assistance Will Help Restaurants Survive COVID-19

Third Times a Charm

Agriculture Sector Can Play a Critical Role in Canada’s Economic Recovery

https://www.reiser.com

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October 2020 Volume 20 Number 1

FCC’S SCHOOL DONATIONS SUPPORT LEARNING BY ADDRESSING HUNGER

PUBLISHER Ray Blumenfeld ray@meatbusiness.ca MANAGING EDITOR Scott Taylor publishing@meatbusiness.ca DIGITAL MEDIA EDITOR Cam Patterson cam@meatbusiness.ca CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Cam Patterson, Scott Taylor, Jack Roberts, Virginia Labbe CREATIVE DIRECTOR Patrick Cairns Canadian Meat Business is published six times a year by We Communications West Inc.

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We Communications West Inc. 106-530 Kenaston Boulevard Winnipeg, MB, Canada R3N 1Z4 Phone: 204.985.9502 Fax: 204.582.9800 Toll Free: 1.800.344.7055 E-mail: publishing@meatbusiness.ca Website: www.meatbusiness.ca Canadian Meat Business subscriptions are available for $28.00/year or $46.00/two years and includes the annual Buyers Guide issue. ©2020 We Communications West Inc. All rights reserved.

The contents of this publication may not be reproduced by any means in whole or in part, without prior written consent from the publisher.

Printed in Canada. ISSN 1715-6726

Farm Credit Canada (FCC) is once again contributing $100,000 to school meal programs across Canada as part of the Crown corporation’s annual campaign to help alleviate hunger.

For the fourth consecutive year, FCC is supporting meal programs offered at 100 schools across Canada as part of FCC Drive Away Hunger. Recipient schools are selected based on need by FCC offices across Canada.

“School meal programs need our support now more than ever,” said Michael Hoffort, FCC president and CEO. “The global pandemic has created additional hardships for families with children and new food packaging requirements mean increased costs for schools to provide safe and healthy meals. No child should ever have to try to learn on an empty stomach.”

Although the highly visible tractor food collection tours have been cancelled this year as a result of the pandemic, FCC continues to work with industry partners to collect food and cash donations for Canada’s food banks. FCC offices across Canada are collecting cash donations until October 15. One hundred per cent of donations go to Canadian food banks, and anyone can visit fccdriveawayhunger.ca to make an online donation. A donation of $1 can provide three meals. One pound of food equals one meal.

FCC also provided $280,000 to national and provincial food bank associations this spring to help people struggling during the pandemic access nutritious food. FCC is a national sponsor for Food Banks Canada’s Hunger Action Month, which ran throughout September. Since 2004, FCC Drive Away Hunger has collected more than 65 million meals and FCC’s enthusiastic corporate partners are a major reason for the program’s success year after year.

As major partners, BDO Canada LLP, The Meat Factory Limited, Courchesne Larose, Chenail Fruits & Legumes, Dedicated Harvesters, Canadawide, Bonduelle, Paysan and duBreton have committed to providing food and funds to feed the hungry through FCC Drive Away Hunger. Other partners include Parrish & Heimbecker Limited, Windset Farms, Co-op, Ray-Mont Logistics International, Nutrigroupe, Groupe Vegco Inc, and BASF Canada.

For more information, visit fcc.ca.

FCC is Canada’s leading agriculture and food lender, with a healthy loan portfolio of more than $38 billion. Our employees are dedicated to the future of Canadian agriculture and food. We provide flexible, competitively priced financing, management 4

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PROTECTING THE HEALTH AND SAFETY OF FARM WORKERS DURING COVID-19 The Canadian government has pledged to continue to protect the health and safety of all Canadians from COVID-19, including those in the agricultural sector who work hard to provide us with high-quality food.

Agriculture and Agri-food Minister, Marie-Claude Bibeau, has announced that applications are now being accepted for the Emergency On-Farm Support Fund in certain provinces and territories. This fund provides a $35 million investment to improve health and safety on farms and in employee living quarters to prevent and respond to the spread of COVID-19.

The Minister stated, “Protecting the health and wellbeing of all farm workers who are helping ensure the food security for Canadians has been a top priority since the beginning of the pandemic. This is why we will continue to provide farmers with the support they need to ensure the right measures are in place to safeguard their employees and limit the spread of the virus.

Additional support will also be provided to women and youth as the government is keenly aware that these groups have been uniquely affected by COVID-19.”

The Emergency On-Farm Support Fund will provide support to farmers for direct infrastructure improvements to living quarters and work stations, temporary or emergency housing (on or off-farm), as well as personal protective equipment (PPE), sanitary stations, work stations and any other health and safety measures to safeguard the health and safety of Canadian and temporary foreign workers from COVID-19.

“As we safely and gradually restart our economy, we will continue to be there for workers and businesses 6

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with comprehensive supports,” said Carla Qualtrough, Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Disability Inclusion. “We understand the unique circumstances and challenges being felt on farms and are working hard to ensure the right supports are available.

The health and safety of all workers, including temporary foreign workers in the agriculture industry who help protect Canada’s food security, continues to be a top priority.”

The Fund will be delivered by Agriculture and AgriFood Canada (AAFC) in Alberta, Saskatchewan, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Yukon, Northwest Territories and Nunavut.

Contributions under the AAFC-managed prograwill be cost-shared 50:50 with the applicants up to $100,000.

An additional 10 per cent will be provided to women and youth applicants making the split 60:40 as the government is taking steps to promote and empower women and youth in the agricultural sector.

In the other provinces, work continues with provincial governments to finalize the delivery arrangements with announcements expected through the coming weeks.

• The creation of this fund was first announced by Minister Bibeau and Minister Qualtrough on July 31st, along with increased supports to temporary foreign workers, strengthened employer inspections regime, and the development of improved employer-provided living accommodation requirements.

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QUICK FACTS • The creation of this fund was first announced by Minister Bibeau and Minister Qualtrough on July 31st, along with increased supports to temporary foreign workers, strengthened employer inspections regime, and the development of improved employer-provided living accommodation requirements.

• Eligible applicants are primary agricultural producers such as a farm, ranch or other operation that produces agricultural products for resale. Aquaculture production is not eligible under the program. For more information about the program please contact toll free 1-866-3678506.

• For the provinces where AAFC is administering the program, the applications will be reviewed as they are received and will put priority on the highest risk farms for COVID-19 outbreaks. A full list of eligible items are available online.

• As part of its actions to protect the health and safety of foreign workers, the Government of Canada has been working with provinces and territories, as well

VEMAG

as a range of partners and stakeholders, to ensure employers and temporary foreign workers are aware of their obligations and respect the rules in place to help prevent the importation and spread of COVID 19 in Canada.

• Work has been ongoing with these provinces to integrate the delivery into existing provincial initiatives and tailor the delivery to the specific situations in a given province.

• This announcement builds on the measures the Government has introduced to keep Canada’s agriworkforce strong, including:

o Travel exemptions for all migrant workers, including seasonal agricultural workers and fish/seafood workers.

o $50 million in funding for the Mandatory Isolation Support Program for Temporary Foreign Workers (TFW) to help protect the health and safety of migrant workers in farming, fish harvesting, and food production by helping processing sectors cover the incremental costs associated with the mandatory 14-day isolation period imposed under the Quarantine Act on migrant workers upon entering Canada.

https://www.dhenryandsons.com

REPLACEMENT PARTS

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WHAT HAPPENED TO OUR CETA HOPES?

By Cam Patterson

While Canada deals with a second COVID-19 wave threatening an even worse infection rate across the country than we suffered in the spring, our agri-food industry is also faced with trade dilemmas on two fronts.

First, the uncertainty of CUSMA while the U.S. sort out the next presidential term. And second, the postBrexit failure of the CETA trade deal that has Canada’s International Trade Minister, Mary Ng, and Federal Agriculture and Agri-food Minister, Marie-Claude Bibeau, giving key note speeches citing the agreements’ short-comings.

At a recent “vitual” agriculture and food summit, minister Bibeau stressed Canada has yet to reach a balanced relationship with the EU, who has demonstrated a lack of commitment to their end of the deal. Albeit some industries have hit a working stride with the trade agreement, the agriculture sector has been woefully let down.

That point was made clear by a letter submitted to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s office, dated September 21st, where former premiers Jean Charest (Quebec), Brad Wall (Saskatchewan), Gary Doer (Manitoba), Kathleen Wynne (Ontario), and Ed Stelmach (Alberta), all cited their growing concern over “the lack of commitment the European Union is demonstrating to adhere to the spirit of the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA)”

Minister Bibeau’s comments made at the summit echoed her desire for a “more balanced relationship” with the EU. Early this month British Trade Secretary, Liz Truss, posted a tweet that seemed to suggest hope for the deal. “Trade talks with Canada have commenced. The aim is to provide continuity for businesses by the end of the transition period. Both Britain and Canada are committed to protecting and strengthening our trading relationship.”

The CBC even reported that minister Ng is hopeful a transition agreement can be hammered out “before or in time” for Brexit.

“That will set the stage for a more comprehensive [free trade agreement] with the U.K.,” Ng stated. “The most important thing for me right now is stability for Canadian businesses … It’s our job to make sure that we do our level best to accomplish that environment for them.”

Yet the urgency expressed by the five former premiers in their letter suggests a stronger line in the sand need be drawn. “If the EU cannot implement and enforce agreements it has negotiated, its authority and credibility as a negotiating partner will be severely undermined,” they stated. “This is also true for Canada.”

“Since CETA was put into place three years ago, the deal has failed to deliver on its promises for Canada’s agri-food exporters,” the premiers stated in the letter.

“This outcome results from the EU Commission and EU member states continuing to impose a wide range of trade barriers for pork, beef, canola, sugar and grains, or failing to reduce those that were to be lowered or eliminated altogether through CETA.”

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DREAM. GROW. THRIVE.

You’re behind Canadian food and we’re behind you We’re FCC, the only lender 100% invested in Canadian food.

That means we’re invested in you, with financing and knowledge to help you achieve your dreams.

fcc.ca

100TH ISSUE | March/April 20192020 October 9 May/June 2019 CANADIAN MEAT BUSINESS 9

RESTAURANT SECTOR KEY TO CANADA BRINGING BACK 1 MILLION JOBS The COVID-19 pandemic continues to devastate the restaurant industry, and as patio season draws to a close, operators expect more job losses and a significant increase in closures ahead. Throughout the pandemic, restaurant operators have quickly and effectively adapted to changing public health guidance in order to bring back staff to serve their communities safely, and they can be trusted to continue to do so as we head into the colder months.

“The government has pledged to create 1 million jobs, with a focus on racialized Canadians, young people, and women who have been hit the hardest through the pandemic,” said Todd Barclay, President and CEO, Restaurants Canada. “Restaurants can play a significant role in feeding the recovery as 260,000 of the jobs still lost due to the pandemic are in our industry alone.

Fifty-eight per cent of our industry being women and 31 per cent visible minorities, we can help support the government’s growth plans, but we need government help to get our industry moving.”

As restrictions have continued to evolve, restaurants have continued to invest time and money into safety equipment and procedures to ensure safe and enjoyable dining experiences for consumers. Eighty seven per cent of Canadians agree that restaurants are doing a good job of keeping customers safe. The health and safety of everyone we serve is always mission critical to our industry, this was just as true now as it was before the start of the COVID-19 crisis.

At the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, 800,000 foodservice workers were laid off or had their hours cut down to zero. While the vast majority of industries have been able to bring employees back to work and are hovering at just 1 to 10 per cent below pre-COVID-19 employment levels of February 2020, there continues to be a significant gap in the restaurant industry. Due to ongoing restrictions across the country, the restaurant industry is the hardest hit with employment 21 per cent below February 2020 levels. A recent Restaurant Canada survey found that roughly half of table-service restaurants expect to reduce their number of full and part-time employees over the next three to four months.

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“Our industry has lost significant revenues, incurred additional costs and is being targeted for closures, without the data being made public to support this claim,” said Barclay. “As cases may arise in certain areas, we have been asking authorities to target any restrictions and enforcement to the higher risk areas and not just punish our entire industry”.

About Restaurants Canada

“We are doing everything humanly possible to keep our customers and staff safe,” said Cindy Simpson, Executive Vice President, Imago Restaurants Inc. “While the irresponsibility of a few rogue operators has resulted in some closures, this doesn’t represent the industry as a whole and we can’t let these incidents bring down our industry”.

Restaurants Canada is a national, not-forprofit association advancing the potential of Canada’s diverse and dynamic foodservice industry through member programs, research, advocacy, resources and events. Before the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, Canada’s foodservice sector was a $93 billion industry, directly employing 1.2 million people, providing Canada’s number one source of first jobs and serving 22 million customers across the country every day. The industry has since lost hundreds of thousands jobs and could lose as much as $44.8 billion in sales in 2020 due to the impacts of COVID-19.

With tighter restrictions being proposed, additional closures will lead to not only increased job losses, but larger impact on the Canadian economy. Ninety two per cent of Canadians agree that restaurants are an important part of their community; as we support the restaurants that offer consumer’s spots to celebrate, spend time with loved ones, and make memories, we support communities, allowing them to thrive.

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JOIN REISER AT THEIR LIVE, ONLINE 2020 VIRTUAL TRADE SHOW also features industry-specific webinars, 17 informationpacked unique virtual booths, and a virtual lounge to talk live with friends and colleagues.

The Reiser 2020 Virtual Trade Show will be live online from 9 am to 5 pm EST Monday, November 2nd through Friday, November 6th. To register, visit www.reiser.com.

Reiser, the leading supplier of processing and packaging equipment solutions for the sausage, meat, poultry, seafood, prepared food, bakery, cheese, produce, and pet food industries, has announced that registration is open for the Reiser 2020 Virtual Trade Show, an online, live event, to be held November 2-6, 2020.

The Reiser 2020 Virtual Trade Show is an opportunity to spend time with Reiser’s Application Specialists, each an authority in their industry, with deep knowledge of technology, and decades of expertise to help you improve your products and processes. The trade show 12 12

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About Reiser For more than 60 years, Reiser has been a leading supplier of processing and packaging equipment and solutions. The company has gained recognition for its high-quality equipment, innovative engineering, and outstanding service and support. Reiser offices and Customer Centers are located in Canton, Massachusetts, USA; Burlington, Ontario, Canada; and Milton Keynes, Bucks, UK. For more information, contact Sally Miller at smiller@reiser.com

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MEATPACKERS ACCELERATE AUTOMATION Reuters AFTER OUTBREAKS As coronavirus outbreaks among workers closed several Canadian meat plants, Henry Mizrahi saw a different future for Lesters Foods, the hot dog factory he runs in Montreal.

come with costs that some find unaffordable during tough economic times, and workers fear they are being replaced, not protected.

Tyson Foods, Smithfield Foods and JBS SA, several of the world’s largest packers, all have automation plans under way, their representatives said.

Meat plants account for just $1 billion in global annual sales of automation supplies and services, distributor Cantrell Gainco said, a sliver of the estimated $215 billion business of industrial automation, according to advisory firm ROBO Global. But North American packer interest is climbing.

Mizrahi made plans to install a robotic arm capable of moving packages into larger containers for shipping, allowing workers greater distance from each other. Lesters, a small private company, is investing several million dollars in a five-year plan to increase automation.

“The way we’ve designed plants has worked up to now – now we need to make dramatic changes,” said Mizrahi, president of the 89-year-old company also known for its smoked meat.

The United States, Canada and Brazil, all major meat producers and exporters, have adopted technology at a slower pace than Northern Europe or Japan and lagged other industrial factories in automating their operations. The concentration of COVID-19 outbreaks in the meatpacking industry in the Americas partly reflected its greater reliance on elbow-to-elbow working conditions.

Georgia-based Cantrell Gainco, which sells Japanese manufacturer Mayekawa’s chicken deboning equipment, has fielded twice the usual number of inquiries since the pandemic spread to North America, said Russ Stroner, vice president of global sales.

Mayekawa said in a statement that global sales of its chicken deboning robot parts are set to rise from $32 million in 2019 to $45 million this year and $60 million in 2021, including North American sales this summer to Tyson, Sanderson Farms and Peco Foods.

Accelerating the move to automation would increase food security and improve plant safety. But such plans 14 14

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Frimesa’s Assis Chateaubriand plant under construction in the state of Parana will include five robots, costing some 500,000 euros ($586,000) each. They will perform tasks including cutting open the pig’s chest, eviscerating it and slicing the animal in half.

Olymel LP, one of Canada’s biggest pork and poultry processors, had an automation plan before the pandemic forced it to temporarily close a Quebec plant for more than two weeks.

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NEW SURREY SLAUGHTERHOUSE ‘WOULD OPEN DOOR’ TO NEW BEEF MARKETS

It decided to accelerate the plan, and intends to Proposed 30,000-square-foot beef abattoir in Cloverdale wouldthen be B.C.’s largest such facility

By Amy Reid, Peace Arch News

BRAZIL CATCHING UP

A federally licensed beef processing facility is in the works in Surrey, BC.

“There’s a new building coming forward, a new abattoir, I think that’s the French pronunciation of slaughterhouse,” said Councillor Mike Starchuk. “So Surrey will have a In Brazil, the country’s fourth-largest pork processor, newer facility with a better capacity so people will have Frimesa, intensified efforts to automate as the the ability to not have to ship an animal to Alberta to have pandemic spread. it processed. The applications have gone through the Agricultural and Food Sustainability Advisory Committee.”

Thespending facility is proposed on a 25-acre the Plans called for 20 million reaisproperty ($3.53within million) Agricultural Land Reserve at 5175 184th St. The planned annually on automation, butabattoir that inprogram 30,000-square foot Cloverdalemay wouldnow process up to 100 head of cattle per day. get a 5% annual bump, not including one-off pricey According tolike a cityrobots, report, that would make it larger equipment purchases said Claudecir dosthan any other processing facility in B.C.. But it would still be Santos, Frimesa’s research and innovation manager. small by industry standards, compared to the largest meat The goal is to processing automate areas where cluster plants in Alberta that employees process 3,000 heads of cattle per day. together, he said.

The proposed facility would be fully enclosed and designed

use robots to sort meat cuts, pick and pack shipments and stack boxes, said Vice President of Engineering and so as to not emit odours. And while there is an operational Project Management Marco Dufresne.

6,000-square-foot abattoir on the property now, it’s can only process a limited number of cattle.

Tyson, highest-selling U.S. Valley meatMeats, company, is making Chris Les the is general manager of Meadow the company behind the project.

Meadow Valley Meats a bigger automation push because of theis pandemic, seeking a Canadian Food Inspection Agency license for said director of engineering Doug Foreman. “There’s the proposed abattoir, to become a federally registered a heightened of urgency, noThis doubt meat establishmentsense and expand the operation. wouldabout it,” he allow the meat products to be transported beyond B.C.’s said.

Continued on page 16 boundaries.

“Our focus is on trying to bring a more efficient, sustainable local product to the market, realizing we can do that now in a very limited sense,” said Les. “I caution people when talking to them and they say, ‘What a big plant, that’s going to go allow you to go mainstream.’ Well, yes, if you look in the context of B.C., but this is still a very niche plant and we’ll serve a niche industry for producers and for the market. It’s certainly not going to be a monstrosity of a plant but it’ll be a big upgrade from the site currently.”

Continued on page 32

https://www.tcextrade.com

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Tyson this summer tested a robot at its Arkansas automation center that uses machine vision to move chicken breasts from a conveyor belt into tray packs for sale in grocery stores.

With retail demand surging, Pilgrim’s Pride, which is mostly owned by Brazil’s JBS, said in July it will use automation to double capacity of a Minnesota plant to produce chicken sold in tray packs. The plant suffered a COVID-19 outbreak in April.

“The outbreaks of corona will put extra spice into the need for automation because the fewer people you have, the less likely you are to suffer from these outbreaks,” said Henrik Andersen, chief commercial officer at Denmark-based Frontmatec, producer of automation equipment for the food industry.

union (UFCW) branch that represents Smithfield workers in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, where more than 1,000 workers contracted the coronavirus.

Smithfield automated the work of splitting hogs at the plant a few years ago, eliminating eight positions, he said.

A Smithfield representative declined to respond to Motley’s comments.

Demand from U.S. plants has been particularly strong, Andersen said.

Greater automation raises suspicions, however, among labor groups.

“It’s taking away people’s jobs,” said BJ Motley, president of the United Food and Commercial Workers 16 CANADIAN MEAT BUSINESS 16

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JBS USA uses the threat of replacing workers with automation as on a negotiating DF: I don’t think being the island hasKim really impactedpresident us negatively tactic, said Cordova, of one way or the other.that We’ve traveled a lot, the UFCW local union represents a lot of other farmers and livestock JBS beef met plant employees in Greeley, producers in other parts of Canada, and Colorado. we all seem to have the same issues and same concerns.

“We’re threatened with automation all of that your farm the time,CMB: like, I‘Ifunderstand you speak up, we’ll just was the first in Atlantic Canada to be use automation,’” Cordova said. involved in the TESA program.

DF: Yes, I think we were the first farm A JBS spokesman said the allegation was east of Ontario as far as I understand. “completely untrue.”

I’m not sure why the eastern associations wouldn’t have previously

While thenominated virus outbreak highlighted anybodyhas because there are the advantages of automation, its every many farms here on PEI doing as much as conversely we are as to attain a economicbitfallout has high level of sustainability.

Anyway, limited the scope for major technology we were very surprised when the PEI investments.

Cattleman’s Association nominated our farm.

CMB: And then you were attending the Canadian Beef conference in Calgary and you won.

DF: Yeah! That was a very nice moment for us. But I don’t like to use the word win actually. However, being recognized for our commitment was a real honour. If you want to know the truth, it was a pretty humbling experience. As I said to CBC when they phoned me after the conference, I was just floored, really couldn’t believe it.

CMB: So now that you have been

recognized, you think thatCantrell will Packers have placeddoorders with draw more attention and garner Gainco for equipment worth up to more nominations outprojects of Atlantic Canada $400,000, but pricier have been going forward? placed on hold in light of uncertainty over Absolutely. lot how the DF: pandemic willWe’ve affectgotten cashaflow of good press highlighting the island and consumer demand, Cantrell Gainco’s cattle industry. I’m positive you’ll see Stroner said.

more farms in our neck of the woods nominated next year. And I have to give Back in Canada, Mizrahi of Lesters the Canadian Cattleman’s Association Foods is recognition certain automation the for choosingisaworth farm from expense.Prince Edward Island. We are small players in the national beef industry andstarted I think itto was a real credit to their “When we see it hit (other to recognize us. They plants), Iorganization saw how tragic the impact was treated all the nominees royally and on human health. The pandemic has it a real class act. It was a wonderful certainlywas accelerated our strategy of experience.

planning for more robotic equipment.”

Articles courtesy of Reuters meatbusiness.ca

https://www.yesgroiup.ca

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WORLD'S FIRST PIZZA SUBSCRIPTION SERVICE LAUNCHES IN TORONTO General Assembly Pizza (GA) has launched what it describes as the world’s first pizza subscription service as it also plans to aggressively expand its product offering in the near future by opening a new concept in the market.

The direct-to-consumer subscription model builds on the successful launch of GA’s premium frozen pizza line this spring, developed by GA Executive Chef Curt Martin, which features six 100% naturally leavened pizzas that cook at home in just 5-7 mins.

Founder & CEO Ali Khan Lalani explains that ecommerce was a natural expansion of GA’s already-dynamic consumer offering, which now includes consumer packaged goods, dine-in operations, a dedicated takeout space, delivery partnerships, and a bespoke catering service, featuring their wood burning mobile pizza oven.

“Since opening our doors in 2017, we have pushed for the best guest-experience possible—that’s why our dough is 100% naturally leavened, that’s why we have a purpose-built 400-square-foot pick-up and delivery area, and that’s why we’re launching a directto-consumer subscription-based ecommerce platform today. In 2020, providing the best guest experience means General Assembly Pizza has to be more than a restaurant. I’m proud to say that after almost six months of planning, many roadblocks and countless pivots—all while maintaining our day-to-day restaurant operations amidst a pandemic—we have done it. Along the way, we’ve connected more than ever with our community, and we look forward to bringing a little of that original GA guest experience back into their day-today lives, at home.”

Executive Chef Curt Martin spearheaded GA’s premium frozen pizza line development, and will be overseeing the phased roll out of the subscription service to ensure product consistency is met at every step, he explains 18 18

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“Food quality and forward thinking is what drives our team. Whether it’s made-to-order or frozen, our pizza is entirely handmade, chef-prepped and fired in our hand-built, made-in-Italy brick ovens.” Martin will also be driving menu innovation at GA, which will include exciting new pizza offerings featuring fresh seasonal ingredients, with a focus on increasing vegetarian, plant-based and pork-free options.

General Assembly’s pizzas feature 100% naturally leavened dough yielded from an all-natural sourdough starter. GA’s premium frozen pizzas require no kitchen preparation and cook in just 5-7 minutes in a conventional oven (or grilled on the bbq). GA’s pizza subscription service is a convenient offering for busy professionals, pizza lovers and parents alike.

Pizzas are delivered to subscribers’ doorstep in a temperature controlled recyclable box that declares “pizza night, reinvented.” Contactless delivery and package tracking ensure customers know exactly when to expect their order.

About General Assembly Pizza General Assembly opened in 2017, as a forwardthinking fast casual restaurant in the heart of Toronto's Entertainment District. Today, GA is a new kind of pizza club, that offers guests and consumers five "ways to pizza" beyond their restaurant doors — including a premium frozen pizza product line available at grocers across Ontario, bespoke catering, and a pizza subscription service.

For more information, visit gapizza.com.

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THE BEST DEFE A STRONG OFFE

PROMOTING THE HEALTH BENEFITS

By Ronnie P. Cons

Red meat is often wrongly portrayed as being unhealthy. some in the media as unhealthy or not environmentally fr Vegan, fish and other non-meat diets have been proposed as

healthier alternatives. result of this onslaught of negative NEW FEDERAL ASSISTANCE WILLTheHELP meat messages has influenced many families to cut back on RESTAURANTS SURVIVE COVID-19 their meat and poultry purchases. Perceptions may reality but

Commitments announced respond to key Restaurants Canada recommendations for renewed support for struggling foodservice sector.

Restaurants Canada commends the federal government for committing to help businesses survive the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic with more than $600M in new funding.

“Many of the measures announced today respond to our recommendations to help Canada’s vital foodservice sector pull through these extraordinarily challenging times,” said Restaurants Canada President and CEO Todd Barclay. “We appreciate the federal government’s continued recognition of the unique impacts that COVID-19 have had on restaurants and how integral they are to the economic recovery of communities across the country.”

FOODSERVICE AND HOSPITALITY SECTOR CONTINUES TO BE HARDEST HIT FROM COVID-19 “The vast majority of our members have been able to remain operational and continue contributing to their communities, largely thanks to measures the federal government has introduced since the start of the crisis,” said David Lefebvre, Restaurants Canada Vice President, Federal and Quebec. “We look forward to learning more details about the commitments unveiled today and continue building on the government’s efforts to address the ongoing needs of our industry.”

Without continued and additional support, Restaurants Canada estimates that 40 per cent of independent restaurants might not survive beyond March 2021, on top of the roughly 10 per cent of establishments that have already permanently closed over the first six months of the pandemic.

truth trumps misinformation. Parents and other consumers want what is best for their health and that of their families.

RESTAURANTS CANADA CONTINUES They are also aware that a lot of false information is out there and as such, are open to scientific facts that can correct their TO RECOMMEND SUPPORT FOR misconceptions.

This provides an opportunity for retail meat departments to implement an instore ‘Healthy Facts’ • Assistance with labour costs,Meat rising debtnutritional and cash flow campaign to set the record straight and convince their

customers meat and good for one’s • Red tapethat reduction forpoultry smallare andactually medium sized health and that they should increase rather than decrease businesses their purchases of it. The campaign outlined below can have

a direct impact on sales:

•Targeted foodservice sector support

Start by displaying instore posters promoting the nutritional value of meat. They should be innovative, eye catching and be designed to specifically contradict any meat myths. The About Restaurants Canada comments should all be literature based quoting research Restaurants is a effect. national, not-for-profit papers or MDs forCanada maximum Various posters should association advancing of Canada’s be made - each with a brief the but potential powerful message covering one diverse theme. and dynamic foodservice industry through

member

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THIRD TIMES A CHARM Steve Toms, of Fortinos Hamilton took home the title of Ontario’s Finest Butcher (OFBC) in a competition hosted

by Meat & Poultry Ontario (MPO) in late September.

Toms, a 2-year veteran to the competition, earned the honour after a fierce head-to-head meat cutting battle with finalists Dave Vander Velde of VG Meats, Stoney Creek and Frank DiGenova of Butcher by Nature in Toronto.

“This year has shown us more than ever the importance of your local butcher.” says Franco Naccarato, MPO’s executive director. “There is a great need for trained butchers across Ontario and we hope this competition can elevate and give the profession the recognition it deserves.”

The Ontario’s Finest Butcher competition was started seven years ago to showcase the profession and recognize the level of skill found in butcher shops and meat plants across the province. Twelve competitors from across Ontario faced off in an elimination round (held on September 14) to determine the top three finalists. During this round they were given 30 minutes to transform a fresh pork bone-in leg, bone-in butt, and bone-in loin, into merchandisable cuts of their choice, and were judged on the degree of difficulty/efficiency and skill level in boning, trimming and cutting, primal cut utilization and financial performance. The top three moved on to the finals where it was still about skill, but creativity and consumer-appeal were added to the judging criteria.

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The theme for this year’s final ‘black box’ round was ‘Deja Food’ and Toms along with fellow finalists had 30 minutes to transform two ducks, a leg of veal, and a pork bone-in loin, to prepare several remarkablelooking, display-ready items. The three judges combined scores determined it was Toms that would carry the honour.

“It’s an amazing honour to represent Fortinos and artisans from Ontario in a skilled trade that is now starting to come back to the limelight.” says Ontario’s Finest Butcher winner Steve Toms. “Great work by Meat & Poultry Ontario on organizing a competition to inspire more people into this trade for years to come.”

In addition to donning the official champion’s black jacket, Toms took home a Minimax Big Green Egg™ Ultimate Kit, YETI Roadie cooler, and a gift package from Ecoboard – a prize package valued over $1,500.

About MPO Meat & Poultry Ontario (MPO) is the representative voice of Ontario’s meat industry. The association is comprised of meat and poultry processors, wholesalers, and retailers; industry suppliers; and not-for-profit organizations that support MPO’s objectives. Ontario’s meat and poultry sector employs 25% of Ontario’s food and beverage processing industry — the single largest manufacturing employer in Ontario — and generates $8.8 billion of the province’s $42 billion food and beverage processing industry revenue.

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https://www.cfib.ca October 100TH ISSUE | March/April 20192020 CANADIAN MEAT BUSINESS 23 21

AGRICULTURE SECTOR CAN PLAY A CRITICAL ROLE IN CANADA’S ECONOMIC RECOVERY

Upcoming Ag Ministers’ meeting needs to address the Inadequacies

By Virginia Labbie of Business Risk Management Programs More than six months have passed since the first lockdowns and we know far too many small businesses across the country are still left struggling to survive.

From closures to devastatingly low sales and new costs –recovery continues to be slow.

But the agriculture sector has fared somewhat better than many sectors. Thankfully, many farms and small businesses serving the agriculture sector were able to keep operating and were not subject to mandatory government shutdowns.

According to the Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB) regular update of its Small Business Recovery Dashboard, 69% of Canadian businesses are fully open, 43% are fully staffed, but only 30% are making normal sales. Compare that to the Agriculture sector, where 88% are fully open, 59% are fully staffed, and 55% are making normal sales.

So what can be done to ensure the agriculture sector plays a critical role in Canada’s economic recovery?

In the short term, the recent Throne Speech focused on the continued economic response to COVID-19. CFIB said renewing the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy (CEWS) to summer 2021 and expanding the Canada Emergency Business Account (CEBA) to cover fixed costs are both positive measures. In fact, a recent CFIB survey revealed 53% of our agri-business members have utilized CEBA and 27% have used CEWS. In addition, a majority of agri-business members said it is important for the federal government to expand CEBA, raise the loan to $60,000 and increase the forgivable portion to 50%.

While these stats paint a slightly rosier picture for the sector, it doesn’t hide the fact that many farms and small businesses in the livestock and meat processing sector, horticultural operations, and others were devastated by COVID-19.

A recent conversation with an Ontario pork producer told me just how dire the situation is for his business.

July hog prices were less than two-thirds of the price they were last year while labour and equipment are becoming more expensive. In this environment it’s a struggle to stay in business.

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However, CFIB is concerned there were no signs the federal government is postponing the tax hikes planned for 2021: Canada Pension Plan (CPP) premiums are set to increase January 1, 2021 and the costly federal carbon tax will increase a few months later (in AB, SK,

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MB & ON). There was also no mention of the new Clean Fuel Standard and how this will impact farmers and the agriculture sector.

The ongoing impacts of the pandemic also exposed the weaknesses in Business Risk Management (BRM) programs, like AgriStability – which were not designed to mop up the mess of a global pandemic.

Upcoming Ag Ministers Meeting Must Address Key Challenges Facing Farmers

That’s why the upcoming meeting of the FederalProvincial-Territorial Agriculture Ministers Meeting in November provides an excellent opportunity to address some of the key challenges facing farmers. While the meeting has been postponed twice, what can’t be postponed is a firm commitment and concrete action to improve BRM Programs. The discussions must also focus on policies that will ensure the agriculture sector stays competitive. We cannot forget the Agriculture & Agri-Food industry employs 2.3 million Canadians or 1 in 8 jobs and contributes over $100 billion annually to Canada’s GDP. So how do we fuel this powerhouse?

For the hog farmer I talked with the other day, a long-term solution is desperately needed. There is a strong consensus across the industry that Business Risk Management Programs are inadequate and illequipped to deal with the financial impacts of COVID-19 and other disasters that significantly impact a farmer’s bottom line. Improvements are needed to ensure these programs are timely, responsive, effective and transparent. For example, we recommend the FPT Ag Ministers consider restoring AgriStability reference margins to 85 per cent from the current 70 per cent of a producers’ reference margin.

FIXING THE BRM PROGRAMS IS JOB NUMBER ONE SO FARMERS HAVE THE CONFIDENCE THESE TOOLS WILL PROTECT THEIR BUSINESS. When surveyed on what Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland should focus on to support their business and economic recovery, 77% of agri-business owners support freezing federal taxes for small business at current levels (e.g. CPP, carbon tax). The last thing the sector needs right now are escalating costs which drives down profitability and reduces competitiveness.

Speaking of costs, the majority of farmers also said the government should reduce red tape for tax compliance and program administration. We have written at length in past columns the giant toll that unnecessary red tape and redundant and excessive regulations have on the agriculture sector.

In the coming months, they also need to address the shortage of labour in the agriculture sector and focus on trade and market access for all agri-food products.

We hope the Agriculture Ministers are ready to tackle these important issues in November. We can’t wait until their next in-person meetings in July 2021 - a strong economic recovery plan for Canada is needed now and the agriculture sector can be the kickstart the country needs. It just needs the strong policy environment to get there.

Virginia Labbie is the Senior Policy Analyst, Agri-business for the Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB). CFIB has 110,000 small and medium-sized member businesses (7,200 agri-business members) across Canada. To find out more about how to support local business go to www.smallbusinesseveryday.ca.

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