Slaughterhouse set to expand

[perfecho]

by Allison Finnamore
The largest culled-cattle slaughter plant in Eastern Canada has been conditionally approved for a loan to construct a new processing facility next to its existing slaughter house in St-Cyrille-de-Wendover, Que.

The producer-owned Quebec beef packer Levinoff-Colbex is set to receive $9.6 million through the federal government under Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada’s Slaughter Improvement Program, part of Canada’s Economic Action Plan.

“It’s imperative that Quebec farmers and, indeed, farmers throughout Eastern Canada have access to slaughter facilities,” says Jean-Pierre Blackburn, minister of national revenue and minister of state (agriculture).

With 375 employees, Levinoff-Colbex is a key service to the bovine livestock sector in Eastern Canada, serving as the only significant cull-cow slaughter facility for producers in Ontario, Quebec and the Atlantic provinces. Levinoff-Colbex slaughters and processes 150,000 cull cattle per year.

[perfecho]

Have to give the French credit.....they are doing something about their situation. Producer owned, so at least profits are a dividend. Really would have been forward thinking if the AB gov had turned over the Atchison plant to producers when they foreclosed on it......but I forgot,they needed the $ for age veification ;-( (and the plant for "file storage.')

[smcgrath76]

or if they had spent only 1/3 of the BSE
money and bought the plant at Brooks...
or helped cash flow the Balzac plant...
or...

[wd40]

Not sure why you'd tie yourself to govmt. with a loan when there packing commodity packing plants run a 33% ROI. Whay not do it just for return on your own money?

[Sawbones]

If we could find producers willing to sign up 100,000 head per year in total by putting up their auction market commission and ABP check-off, we could buy a 500 head per day packing plant. Anyone interested contact us through www.canadianlegacypartners.com

[Sawbones]

Kato..have you heard that the Keystone plant in Manitoba has received 10 million in federal funding and that will be matched by another 7.5 million in provincial funding. You will soon be leading the West in producing a truly producer branded product. Wishing you all the best

[perfecho]

WD...most cattle people are strapped, been running in the red since BSE. Also, with the system we now have, most are scared to invest as a major packer can strong arm you into going broke...that is why Sawbones, I truly believe getting the consumer to buy a part of the plant is imparitive. If the consumer is on board, strong arm tatics will be much harder to pull off.

[smcgrath76]

that seems like a tough one to pull off,
but a pretty good idea. Perhaps a
straightforward share offering...

[perfecho]

....and really work the "food security, local food and supporting your rural neighbors", which are all becoming very much into focus these days.

[Sawbones]

If we were to get producers prepared to sign delivery contracts, we could get either a local retailer or foreign investor to purchase the plant. We don't need to sign up our entire production but there has to be 100,000 head committed to make it work