New funding is available for Alberta ranchers as the province and the federal government provide Alberta Beef Producers (ABP) with almost $1.9 million for its Verified Beef Production Plus (VBP+) on-farm food safety program.
Ranchers can receive up to $5,000 through the new incentive program for approved expenses that help them align their operations with VBP+ certification guidelines. Examples of approved activities include audit fees, livestock handling equipment, and herd management software. An operation that completes the VBP+ training but has not yet achieved certification can access up to $2,500 for the same approved expenses.
The VBP+ certification program provides in-person or online training, an on-farm third-party audit, and a certification that helps producers adhere to the highest standards of beef production.
In 2023, beef was Alberta’s largest agri-food export at $3.9 billion, making up 22 per cent of the province’s total exports.
