In Ontario, workshop participation has been a pre-requisite of the $5.00 credit per calf on the Age Verification Program. Over $300,000 worth of Age Verification credits were paid out to Ontario beef producers. That has no doubt driven enrolment and proven to be an effective vehicle to increase awareness of the program benefits. By following Standard Operating Procedures for animal health, shipping, feed management, pest control and communication, our producers have become more aware of the production practices that should be employed to ensure food safety hazards are minimized on the farm. Benefits of enhancing your documentation include improved efficiency of product use; renewed orientation to consumer based marketing and increased traceability and food safety awareness at the farm level.

Another program feature was the Cost Share on eligible equipment. This aspect of the program was terminated on December 31, 2008. Though temporarily suspended part way through the year, its reinstatement allowed us to deliver in excess of $200,000 in Cost Share to eligible producers. This part of the program was federally- funded through the Canadian On- Farm Food Safety Program. Our appreciation is extended to those who exerted influence and allowed this funding to be continued until year’s end.

This year has also seen the addition of a third-party auditor who has been able to assist some of the new emerging value chains with an audit component that increases credibility. Auditing of operations has added producers to our registered database and strengthened both provincial and national recognition of our program. For the coming year, we are glad to see that the OCA Board has approved the Age Verification Program for 2009. In addition, ground work is being done to recognize registered producers through the VBP value proposition. This initiative will allow greater access of information for feedlots and cow/calf up and down ownership transfers. It will be designed to dovetail with the emerging Canadian Beef Advantage program being developed on a national scale.

In closing, delivery of the program has become much more complex than it was five years ago when it was initiated. Our very supportive office staff must manage workshop registrations, Cost Share applications, database development and management, as well as close tracking of program expenditures. Our commitment to delivering the Verified Beef Production Program to Ontario cattlemen continues and should help you meet the market in 2009.