of Meat

May/June 2008
For the Love
of Meat
Interview with the
Shameless Carnivore
Canadian Grill
Survey Results
Canadian Publications Mail Product Sales Agreement 40854046
Rising Food Prices:
The Retail Impact
Guest Editorial:
Is It Time to
Renegotiate NAFTA?
pg.5
meatbusiness.ca $6.00

Volume 9, Number 3 May/June 2008
5 Guest Editorial by Jim Laws
6 Rising Food Prices: The Retail Impact by Kevin Grier
6
9 Canadian Meat Council Conference Wrap-up
10 Ancient and Essential: Natural oils enlisted to fight foodborne
disease by Debbie Lockrey-Wessel
12 For the Love of Meat: Interview with the Shameless
Carnivore by Alan MacKenzie
14 Time to Get Cultured: The emergence test-tube meat
by Alan MacKenzie
16 Assembly Line
18 Cross Country News
20 Taking a Positive Turn: The Federal Cull Breeding Swine
Program by Alan MacKenzie
22 Industry Roundup
24 Barbecuers Get Grilled: Canadian grill survey results
26 Environmentally Friendly Pest Control by Patrick T. Copps
30 Meat Industry Business Watch by James Sbrolla
12
14
20
meatbusiness.ca
May/June 2008 Canadian Meat Business

| Guest Editorial |
May/June 2008 Volume 9 Number 3
PUBLISHER
Ray Blumenfeld
ray@meatbusiness.ca
MANAGING EDITOR
Alan MacKenzie
alan@meatbusiness.ca
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
Jim Laws, Kevin Grier, Debbie Lockrey-Wessel,
Patrick T. Copps, James Sbrolla
ART DIRECTOR
Donna Endacott
SENIOR DESIGNER
Krista Kline
CIRCULATION/ADMINISTRATION
Kerry Freek
kerry@meatbusiness.ca
FINANCE
Jane Addie
Canadian Meat Business is published
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ISSN 1715-6726
Time to
Renegotiate NAFTA
We just finished our 88th
Annual Canadian Meat
Council conference in
Niagara Falls, Ont. It was a great
success, even though the Canadian
meat processing industry is facing
incredible challenges. A strong Canadian
dollar, record high oil and feed grain
prices, labour shortages, and tougher
food safety regulations are cutting into
profitability. Inspection delays at the
Canada-U.S. border are hampering our
future success.
It seems the time has come for
Canada to move forward with meat
inspection reform and to work harder to
develop a strong single North American
meat inspection system. The Europeans
have done it with their common
economic union that allows for the
freedom of goods and people without
the need for border inspection between
each country.
U.S. President Bush, Mexican
President Calderón and Canadian
Prime Minister Harper met on Apr.
22 at the North American Leaders’
Summit in New Orleans, Louisiana. In
a joint statement they mentioned that
as continental neighbours and partners
committed to democratic government,
the rule of law and respect for individual
rights and freedoms, Canada, Mexico
and the U.S. have shared interests
in keeping North America secure,
prosperous, and competitive in today’s
global environment.
Many believe it is also time for Canada
and the U.S. to adopt a common
currency – just as the Europeans
have done. According to one recent
economic model, a common currency
might boost Canada-U.S. trade by 50 to
70 per cent. Other estimates suggest that
maintaining our separate currencies
dampens commerce to the same extent
as a 26 per cent tariff.
The Sept. 11, 2001 catastrophe
resulted in a heavy emphasis on security
that has restricted trade. Since then the
U.S. has been focused on controls at
seaports, airports and the land borders.
These controls at the U.S. border rather
than the North American perimeter
hamper commerce between our North
American partners.
Gary Hufbauer a senior fellow at the
Peterson Institute for International
Economics in Washington and Michael
Hart, a trade expert at the Norman
Paterson School of International Affairs
in Ottawa both think it’s time to offer
Washington a “big idea” on trade.
There is lots of talk from Hillary Clinton
and Barack Obama that it’s time to
renegotiate the North American Free
Trade Agreement (NAFTA). Let’s agree
with them and tell them it’s time our
three countries had a greater unified
vision of trade potential.
NAFTA has helped to triple trade
since 1993 among our three countries to
a projected $1 trillion in 2008. We can
do a lot better.
For the sake of Canada’s future, we
need to harmonize North American
standards and embrace the European
concept of mutual recognition. Many
Canadians would consider this to be
a mass surrender of sovereignty –
Europeans live with it daily and they still
have their national identities.
The U.S. Food and Drug
Administration employs 10,000 people
and spends billions of dollars vetting
drugs. Canada has less than 1,000 people
working at Health Canada repeating the
same job. No wonder drug approvals
and food safety interventions take years
longer in Canada.
Our differences should be set aside
and the strengths of our industry built on
to compete in an ever competitive world.
With the price of transportation rising
and the concern for global warming, it’s
time we push for a new deal that allows
us to serve our best customers close to
home right here in North America.
With 110 million Mexicans and 303
million Americans, those two countries
alone are quite a market for our 33
million Canadians.
We in the meat industry need to send
strong messages to government that we
need to get serious about the Security
and Prosperity Partnership. In our new
reality, security and prosperity depend
on each other.
Jim Laws is the executive director of the
Canadian Meat Council.
meatbusiness.ca
May/June 2008 Canadian Meat Business

everage sales. That one percentage of lost
sales amounts to nearly $900 million.
Assuming that Statistics Canada keeps
Wal-Mart’s Supercentres in the general
merchandise category, there is no doubt
that the erosion in grocery share is going
to continue for the next several years.
Conversely, the protection of share against
Wal-Mart is going to be the focus of grocer
attention for the next several years.
Pricing tensions
The April 10 Wall Street Journal contained
an article that is reflective of much of the
media coverage of global food pricing. It
reported that, “After several years of relative
stability, a wave of rising prices is washing
over the world economy… Rising prices
for food, energy and other raw materials
account for much of the pickup in inflation
rates. High food and energy costs hit
developing countries – where consumers
spend a larger share of income on those
necessities – particularly hard.” The report
noted that the World Bank estimated global
food prices have risen 83 per cent over the
past three years.
In Canada, the price of food purchased
from stores has been steadily increasing since
TheRetail Impact
Amid rising global food prices, the grocery sector faces a fight in
order to maintain its share against “non-traditional” big box grocers.
By Kevin Grier
Assuming that Statistics Canada
keeps Wal-Mart’s Supercentres in
the general merchandise category,
there is no doubt that the erosion
in grocery share is going to
continue for the next several years.
T
he Canadian grocery sector is
exceptionally competitive. In
fact, grocery chains continue
to lose share to alternative retail
channels, to the tune of almost $900
million over the past two years. At the
same time, rising commodity prices are
impacting grocers’ costs. The challenge
for grocers trying to compete is that
they won’t be able to offset all of their
rising costs in the form of higher food
prices for consumers.
Retail sales channel
developments
Statistics Canada recently released
its Quarterly Retail Commodity Survey
for the fourth quarter of 2007, in which
it asserts that retailers had a strong
year with sales increases in all major
commodity groupings. Canadians spent
$413.4 billion on goods and services in
retail stores last year, up 5.8 per cent
from 2006.
Statistics Canada said more than half
of spending in retail stores focused on
transportation, food and beverages.
Proportionately, of every $100 spent in
retail stores in 2007, consumers spent
about $21 on food and beverages; more
than any other sector other than motor
vehicles (also $21).
Total food and beverage sales
increased by five per cent in 2007
compared to 2006. Food and beverage
sales sold by food and beverage stores
(grocery and specialty) increased
by four per cent last year while food
sold through drug stores and general
merchandise stores increased by seven
per cent and 10.5 per cent respectively.
Sales through food and beverage stores
represent continuation of a longerterm
trend of lost share for these
channels. The bulk of the lost share is
going through general merchandisers
like Wal-Mart and Zellers.
Grocery store share has declined
from nearly 89 per cent in 1998 to
less than 85 per cent as of the last
quarter of 2007. Meanwhile, general
merchandise share is now near 11 per
cent compared to less than seven per
cent in 1998. Drug store share does
not change much at around one to two
per cent.
What is of particular interest is the
rate of decline in grocery share over
the past two years, with the average
quarterly rate of decline amounting to
nearly a quarter of a per cent. In 2004
and 2005, the rate of decline was only
0.05 per cent per quarter. Between
2006 and 2007, grocery stores lost
one per cent share of the food and
it bottomed for 2007 in October. According
to the Statistics Canada Consumer Price
Index, the price of food purchased from
stores has increased about 2.6 per cent since
October. Within that context, however, the
food from stores index is actually lower in
February this year than it was in May of
last year.
It appears that the main drivers of upward
momentum in food pricing are bakery
products, dairy and vegetables. Specifically,
from October through February, bread
prices are up nine per cent, pasta is up 16
per cent and fresh vegetables are also up 16
per cent.
Looking specifically at the consumer
price index in Canada, it is not clear that
there is a food pricing problem. Fresh
fruit and vegetable pricing is often
characterized by volatility. In addition,
dairy pricing, being protected by the
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May/June 2008 Canadian Meat Business

supply management system is also characterized by a slow,
steady increase.
As is often noted, the real driver of food pricing increases,
or at least the concern about food pricing increases, has been
increased grain costs. U.S. ethanol subsidies have driven up
the price of grain corn which, in turn, has driven up the price
of other feed and food grains such as soybeans and wheat.
While the efficacy and merit of subsidized ethanol is almost
non-existent, there is no doubt about its buoyant impact on
grain pricing.
In that regard, there are two main areas of consumer
food pricing impact: wheat and grain based products and
meat. With regard to meat, the production process tends to
delay the final product pricing impact. That is, eventually
high grain costs are going to force meat pricing higher but
that could take a year before it is felt in the meat case. In
the case of wheat and grain based products, the process can
take just as long due to manufacturing, inventory and other
logistical factors.
With that noted, however, there are indications that grain
costs are making their way through the food chain. Statistics
Canada industry price indexes for flour and oil based
products are up by 10 per cent and 14 per cent respectively
in February compared to October 2007. Despite those
big increases, food manufacturing prices are up by about
three per cent compared to their 2007 low in October of
2007, which is not much different than the increase in the
consumer price index increase since last October.
Given the firm upward movement of the industry price
index, which is a good gauge of consumer pricing near term,
and given the performance of U.S. consumer pricing, it is
reasonable to expect that Canadian consumer pricing will be
on the rise. For its part, Scotia Capital has stated, “as global
commodity prices surge, we anticipate that the Canadian
grocers will be impacted by the food cost increases. To date,
the rise in the Canadian dollar has sheltered much of the
cost inflation in the past year, as evidenced by the deflation
in produce prices. However, as we approach the anniversary
of U.S. dollar parity in the fall, this benefit will begin
to erode.”
The wild card in this, however, remains the exceptional
competitive environment in the Canadian grocery sector. As
Loblaw continues to try and regain its dominance and as
Sobeys and Metro/A&P seek to maintain or garner market
share inroads, pricing is going to be the key competitive
tactic. Further to that point, Scotia Capital asserted in its
April 16 Daily Edge Equity Research report that, “with Loblaw
committed to aggressively lowering prices in conventional
stores, we do not expect all cost increases will translate
into retail price inflation. As such, we do not believe Metro
(or any grocer) will be able to fully pass on higher costs to
consumers and we believe food inflation will be negative for
the grocers.”
Furthermore, as the entire grocery sector fights to maintain
its share against non-grocery food retailers, price again will
be the weapon of choice. Finally and closely related to the
latter point, the Wal-Mart effect will dominate Canadian
grocery for at least another year. The Wal-Mart Supercentres
are having a pricing impact in Canada far beyond what their
very modest store numbers would indicate.
Kevin Grier is a senior market analyst with the George Morris Centre.
A version of this report originally appeared in the George Morris Centre
publication Grocery Trade Review.
Canadians Sense Rising Food
Prices a Long-Term Problem
T
he results of a new Canadian Press Harris/
Decima telephone survey revealed that a
majority of Canadians feel the rising cost of
food is a long-term problem.
The survey of over 1,000 Canadians conducted
between May 1 and 4 said 78 per cent feel recent
increases in the price of food are symptomatic of a
long-term problem, while only 17 per cent felt it is a
short-term problem.
The results also noted that so far the rising cost of
food is only changing the shopping and eating habits
of those with a lower income. Unemployed Canadians
(29 per cent) and those making less than $40,000
(23 per cent) per year were most likely to say their
shopping habits are undergoing major change. Those
making over $100,000 per year were far more likely
to say the rising costs have not changed their grocery
shopping habits.
Overall the survey said 46 per cent of Canadians feel
the rising price of food is causing either major (14 per
cent) or minor (32 per cent) changes in the way they
shop for groceries, while 52 per cent see no real change
in their shopping habits. Forty-one per cent said the
rising cost of food has caused major changes (11 per
cent) or minor changes (30 per cent) in the amount of
food they can afford, while 57 per cent indicated that
there no was no real change in the amount of food they
could afford.
When asked to identify the biggest cause of rising
food prices, from a list of three suggestions, the top
response was the rising cost of energy (42 per cent),
followed by the conversion of farmland from food to
biofuel production (31 per cent). Only 15 per cent felt
the main cause was worldwide weather events such as
floods and droughts.
According to Harris Decima president Bruce
Anderson, “Canadians sense that the world is
undergoing a series of profound longer term shifts,
with the emergence of powerful new economies in the
developing world, with unprecedented energy prices,
and with the environmental pressures that stem from
global warming. There is a sense that we should assume
the changes in food prices are systemic more than
episodic, and plan accordingly, both on an individual
and collective basis. For the moment, the food price
issue is having a profound impact on roughly one in 10
people, with another three in 10 feeling a pinch, but
less severely.”
- staff
Photos: Jim Laws
Left photo: Don Davidson, Maple Leaf Foods- president of the Canadian Meat Council
effective May 2008, Brian Nilsson, XL Foods, and now past president of the Canadian
Meat Council.
Right photo: Darcy Rector- President’s Award recipient 2005 and Arie Nuys, Delft Blue
and chairman of the 2008 conference committee.
On May 7 to 9 the Canadian Meat Council (CMC)
held its 88th Annual Conference at the Sheraton
Fallsview Hotel in Niagara Falls, Ont. According to
executive director Jim Laws, the event was a huge success despite
challenges facing the meat industry from high feed prices and a
strong Canadian dollar (see his guest editorial on page 5).
The event kicked off with a product sampling reception,
featuring the following exhibitors: Beef Information Centre,
BSA Ingredients, Delft Blue Inc., Food Processing Development
Centre, Griffith Laboratories, Hermann Laue Spice Company,
IFASA, Kerry Canada, Quality Meat Packers and Tyson/
Lakeside Packers.
A welcoming address was given by Laws with CMC president
Brian Nilsson, conference chair Arie Nuys and Frances Nattress,
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president of the Canadian Meat Science Association.
Other highlights of the event included: a keynote address
from Dr. Ronald L. Doering, a partner at Gowling Lafleur
Henderson LLP and former president of the Canadian Food
Inspection Agency; an American Meat Institute/Canadian Meat
Council panel, at which Laws and Nilsson were joined by American
Meat Institute president Patrick Boyle and chairman David Miniat;
and the election of Don Davidson of Maple Leaf Foods as the new
CMC president.
The Canadian Meat Council’s 89th Annual Conference will be
held May 6 to 8, 2009 at the Fairmont Queen Elizabeth Hotel in
Montreal, Que.
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Canadian Meat Council
88th Annual
Conference
- staff
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May/June 2008 Canadian Meat Business

Ancient and Essential
By Debbie Lockrey-Wessel
Natural oils enlisted to fight food-borne disease.
I
n the search for alternatives to
control food-borne diseases,
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
(AAFC) scientists are re-examining
some ancient natural oils used in
flavourings, preservatives and over-thecounter
medicines.
Essential oils from plants such as
cinnamon, vanilla, thyme and wild
oregano are being studied by scientists
at AAFC’s Guelph Food Research Centre
in Ontario. This research is one example
of the innovative science conducted by
AAFC to enhance both human and animal
health. This approach offers promise in
finding alternatives to antibiotics used
in animal feed. Researchers are trying
to determine whether or not harmful
bacteria introduced into the food chain
through diets can be reduced and whether
or not the use of dietary antibiotics in
livestock production can be lessened.
Bacterial pathogens are a common
and ongoing concern in animal health
and welfare as well as food safety. For
example, E. coli K88, causes diarrhea in
newly weaned piglets, delaying growth
and affecting subsequent performance
and production. Other pathogens, such
as salmonella, can sometimes be found
in meat products and have the potential
to be transferred to humans. Consumers
have expressed concerns that the use
of dietary antibiotics in food animal
production may contribute to wide-spread
antibiotic resistance. These possible
effects on human health have increased
the demand to develop alternatives.
Plants contain ‘essential oils’ (volatile
components) that are used as a natural
defense to resist the effects from insects,
fungi, bacteria and other potentially
destructive invaders. AAFC scientists are
studying how to use these oils to combat
food-borne pathogens including E. coli
0157:H7 and salmonella typhimurium
DT104. Their goal is to identify and
deliver potent oils to pigs digestive tract
through new technologies to achieve
maximum antibacterial activity.
Over the past three years the AAFC
team, led by Dr. Joshua Gong and Dr.
Qi Wang at the AAFC research centre in
Guelph, has examined 66 essential oils
including geraniol (from geraniums),
eugenol (from cloves), carvacrol
(from wild oregano), cinnamaldehyde
(cinnamon oil), and clove oil and thymol
(from thyme).
“We found that 16 of the 66 oils had
strong antimicrobial properties. Based
on this we selected nine for further
study,” says Dr. Gong whose team includes
research partners from the University
of Guelph, the Public Health Agency
of Canada and the Ontario Ministry of
Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs.
The first focus of their research has
been testing these oils as alternatives to
dietary antibiotics in swine production.
Their in vitro research showed that
many of the essential oils killed the
‘bad’ bacteria without destroying the
beneficial bacteria (such as lactobacilli
and bifidobacteria) from the intestinal
tract. The oils succeeded in being
resistant to breakdown by the low pH of
a pig’s stomach. They also retained their
anti-microbial activity in the laboratory
conditions (an artificial environment)
set to mimic the conditions of the pig’s
intestinal tract.
However, creating the perfect blend
and concentration of essential oils and
delivering it to the right section of a pig’s
digestive tract continues to be a major
task with many challenges. For example,
lab tests showed that carvacrol (oil from
wild oregano) was 99 per cent effective
in the lab in controlling two pathogens
when the oils were tested by themselves.
But when mixed with pig feed, the feed
completely absorbed the antimicrobial
compound and the oil had no effect on
the two pathogens.
Pursuing this problem further, and
with funding from Ontario Pork, the
team next set out to find a way to protect
the oils from interacting with the pig
feed and getting more of the microbial
compounds effectively delivered not only
past the stomach but also to the correct
section of the pig intestine. “Each oil
has unique properties and may require
a different carrier to help it retain its
anti-microbial activity in transit down the
digestive tract,” says Dr. Wang.
After testing two micro-encapsulation
techniques, the team found a single
extrusion method offered better stability
and higher loading efficiency. The
microcapsules remained intact in the
pig’s stomach and therefore unwanted
interaction with feed was prevented. The
oils were rapidly released in the small
intestine, which is known to be the ideal
site for maximum effect in controlling
the growth of bad bacteria and diseasecausing
pathogens in swine.
“Our team is excited about the
possibilities for applying this research,”
says Dr. Wang. “This year we will expand
testing the antimicrobial activity of our
oil capsules when mixed with feed and
when exposed to the simulated digestion
system in the laboratory. We will continue
our efforts to improve the encapsulation
formation and develop new ones. If all
goes well, the next step will involve animal
tests and field application.”
Debbie Lockrey-Wessel is a
communications advisor at
Agriculture and Agri-Food
Canada.
10 Canadian Meat Business May/June 2008 meatbusiness.ca

For the Love of Meat
The Shameless Carnivore discusses his new book, what makes a
quality butcher and his meaty message.
By Alan MacKenzie
Scott Gold really loves to eat meat. The New York-based
writer just didn’t realize how much until he began
working on his first book, The Shameless Carnivore: A
Manifesto for Meat Lovers.
Other people knew it. In his book – published by Broadway
Books – he writes that the only nickname he ever had that
stuck was “Steakbomb” – or “Steak” for short. His editor
friend Katie knew it. When she and a vegetarian literary
agent were discussing the idea of a “carnivore’s polemic” she
knew right away who the author should be.
“As soon as I started writing I realized that I feel very,
very passionately about meat,” Gold told Canadian
Meat Business.
As he writes in the tome’s introduction, “I am a carnivore,
and I’m damn proud of it.”
In 355 pages Gold gets to the, well, meat of his favourite food
group, discussing everything from the ethics of carnivorism
to the future of the meat industry to why consumers should
really get to know their butcher, which he feels is getting
harder to do these days.
“It’s a very sad thing, but quality butchers are on the
decline,” he said, noting that meat-eaters won’t get the same
quality product or service from a grocery store that they
would in a “real butcher shop” with cuts of meat and cased
salamis hanging in the window. “Actual butchers are not just
selling you a really great product but they’re a repository of
culinary knowledge. You can ask them anything, like possible
recipes, internal temperatures, cooking time…they can rattle
all off this off. At the big box stores, they’re not going to know
this stuff.”
Gold also presented himself with two interesting challenges,
all in the tasty name of research: to eat every part of a cow
– right down to brains and bone marrow (both of which he
liked) – and something he described as the “Month of Meat”
– during which he attempted to eat 31 different animals in
31 days.
He came very close to succeeding in the first challenge,
forgetting about the spleen which he didn’t realize he
missed, but plans to try soon in an Italian sandwich
called vastedde.
“I also didn’t get to the eyeballs,” he said. “My butcher said
I would have to buy the whole head, and I wasn’t ready to
commit to that.”
Not that we can blame Gold for a lack of trying. Not
everyone can stomach the oddly named pizzle (bull’s penis)
or, well, stomach.
“If you do a little bit of research, you’ll find that recipes for
most of the parts of the animal are pretty extensive in older
cookbooks,” Gold said. “Back in the day, when you butchered
an animal you didn’t want to miss anything because it’s still
meat, it’s still food. Some people might not want to eat,
say, kidneys, but they’re filled with lots of great nutrients
and proteins.”
As for the “Month of Meat” – the list of animals ranged
Photo: shamelesscarnivore.com
Scott Gold enjoying another day in the Month of Meat.
Photo: Eric Gold
from standards like pig and chicken (not
“pork” and “poultry” – Gold believes a
true carnivore acknowledges he is eating
an animal) to game meats and more
exotic fare, like turtle and kangaroo.
Having grown up in Louisiana, this
challenge allowed him to eat foods he’s
missed since moving out East to pursue
a career in publishing.
“You don’t see a lot of game in New
York, unless you go to a particular
restaurant – and you definitely don’t see
alligator,” he said.
Discussing recipes and cooking
techniques, as well as how to get that
hard to find exotic meat (hello,
Internet), Gold writes with such
passionate flair that you may just want
to take a stab at rattlesnake chili.
But beyond the humorous stories
about the reactions of his vegetarian
friends to his “obsession” and his
hilarious road trip to the hedonistic
Testicle Festival in Montana (he describes
the fried and breaded Rocky Mountain
Oysters as “testicle mcnuggets”),
Gold’s book offers a philosophy and
message to meat-eating readers – be a
conscientious carnivore.
“Like most people I never really gave
it a lot of thought – I’d go to the butcher
shop or the grocery store and get my
meat, but I never really explored the
idea of where it comes from and how
the animal is raised,” he said. “As soon
as I started doing the research, I started
becoming more discriminating, more
discerning and more prone to trying
to get my meat from a responsible
Scott Gold bites into a Rocky Mountain Oyster
at the annual Testicle Festival in Montana.
“Canadians are outstanding carnivores,”
– Scott Gold, The Shameless Carnivore.
source, or at least from a healthy,
happy animal.”
Gold’s book is not the only one
released in recent months that touts
the benefits of being a “responsible”
meat-eater – Toronto-based writer
Susan Bourette’s Carnivore Chic was
released in March by the Penguin
Group and Minnesota-based Catherine
Friend released The Compassionate
Carnivore through Da Capo Press in May
– suggesting there is a larger movement
toward grain-fed, humanely raised meat,
which the writers say not only benefits
the environment, but tastes better as well.
“When you eat good meat, and eat
it responsibly – if you’re not a glutton
and it’s part of a healthy diet – it’s very,
very good for you,” Gold said. “Even
people who were vegetarians are
starting to put a little meat in their diets
again when they know it comes from a
good source.”
To promote the book Gold also runs
a Shameless Carnivore website and has
created a Bob Dylan-inspired “Shameless
Carnivore Theme Song” (sample lyric:
“look out pig/you know what you is/
bacon and sausage/ country ham and
cracklins”) that he recently sang a
capella during a CBC Radio interview
– something he was more than happy to
do for a Canadian audience.
“Canadians are outstanding
carnivores,” he said. “I’ve been talking
to a lot of people in Canada and you
guys really love your meat. The message
I hear is that its cold up there and you
really need your protein.”
12 Canadian Meat Business May/June 2008 meatbusiness.ca meatbusiness.ca
May/June 2008 Canadian Meat Business 13

Time toGet Cultured
“Test tube meat” may be on our plates within 10 years…and could
be seen as a healthy, environmentally conscious alternative.
By Alan MacKenzie
Photo: invitromeat.org
Stig Omholt, chair of the In Vitro Meat Consorium,
discusses the engineering economics of large-scale cell
culture medium and muscle tissue production.
C
all it the “future of meat.”
In April the first-ever In Vitro Meat Consortium
was held in Matforsk, Norway, at which the
future and financial viability of laboratory-grown meat
was discussed.
Science fiction? Try science fact.
According to Jason Matheny, a director with the U.S.-
based non-profit group New Harvest, the ability to grow
a cultured meat product similar to sausage or hamburger
is fast becoming reality, and the consensus following the
symposium is that this in vitro meat could be available
commercially within the next five to 10 years.
While the thought of “test tube meat” may be off-putting
initially, the health and environmental benefits of carefully
designed cow-less beef or pig-less pork may be enough for
consumers to warm up to the idea, Matheny said.
“You could have hamburger meat that has the fat profile
of an avocado,” Matheny said, noting that fatty meats are
thought to cause two million deaths annually. “You could
control the fat content in vitro in a way that you couldn’t
with a live animal.”
He added that once lab meat enters the market,
consumers won’t have to worry as much about diseases like
bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) or avian flu. He
also noted that greenhouse gases caused by the meat sector
would be significantly reduced.
It all starts with the single cell of an animal, he said, that is
multiplied and grown in a growth medium – or “soup” – that
includes amino acids, sugars and vitamins. He noted that
cells are capable of multiplying so many times in culture
that, in theory, a single cell could be used to produce enough
meat to feed the global population for a year. After the
cells multiply they are attached to a sponge-like “scaffold”
and soaked with nutrients. They may also be mechanically
stretched to increase their size and protein content. The
resulting cells can then be harvested, seasoned, cooked and
consumed as a boneless, processed meat, such as sausage,
hamburger, or chicken nuggets.
Matheny admitted the technology may see opposition
from livestock producers (although he has not been
contacted by any producer groups yet), but meat processors
would definitely benefit from it.
“Here you could do away with unpredictable factors
in production,” he said, noting that many steps would be
eliminated, saving time and, ultimately, money. “Meat could
be turned into a fully industrialized product, something
closer to how we produce yogurt.”
Matheny said the idea of cultured meat dates back to the
early 20th century, but it’s only been in recent years that the
technology has been available to make it possible.
“Winston Churchill, when he was working as a journalist
in the early ’30s, before his political career, wrote in an essay,
‘someday we shall escape the absurdity of growing a whole
chicken in order to eat the leg,’” Matheny added.
Photo: invitromeat.org
Matheny became interested in
developing cultured meat after working
on a public health project in India.
“I was surprised to see that India
was adopting the same industrial
animal farming practices that are
common in the U.S. and that their
meat consumption had doubled in
the last decade,” he said, noting that
issues associated with meat production,
such as greenhouse gas emissions and
poor animal welfare, are becoming
global problems. “I thought it would
make sense to find a technology that
could satisfy the global appetite for
meat, but in a way that would cause less
environmental and health problems.”
On April 21, People for the Ethical
Treatment of Animals (PETA)
announced plans for a $1 million prize
for the “first person to come up with
a method to produce commercially
viable quantities of in vitro meat at
competitive prices by 2012.”
Matheny noted that in addition to
PETA, the Humane Society of the
United States (HSUS) has expressed
support for in vitro meat, but he
added that it’s unlikely the innovation
will change the eating habits of
many vegetarians.
“The market for this is healthconscious
and environment-conscious
meat eaters,” he said.
Mirko Betti, a meat scientist with
the University of Alberta and the lone
Canadian at the conference, said he
feels there is a strong possibility that an
in vitro sausage or hamburger product
Jason Matheny (New Harvest), Robert Dennis (University of North Carolina) and Stig
Omholt (Norwegian University of Life Sciences) at the In Vitro Meat Consortium in Norway.
could be available by around 2015 to
2020, as long as certain challenges are
met, such as creating meat with the
right texture and chemical make up.
“You could have hamburger
meat that has the fat profile
of an avocado.”
– Jason Matheny, New Harvest.
He added that further processed
products – such as chicken nuggets
– which use soy proteins and other
binders and fillers to create the right
texture, would be easier to duplicate
than actual cuts of meat. Because of
that, he said, the traditional meat sector
won’t have to worry about competition
from the cultured product for quite
some time.
“You can produce single cell
proteins, or something that is bound to
be growing on a scaffold, but it doesn’t
have the same structure as animal
muscles because it’s difficult to organize
a muscle in a bioreactor,” he said. “It’s
not the same as having a steak. We’re
still very far away from that.”
14 Canadian Meat Business May/June 2008 meatbusiness.ca meatbusiness.ca
May/June 2008 Canadian Meat Business 15

| Assembly Line |
Assembly Line is an opportunity for companies to feature new products for the meat producing,
processing, packaging and distribution industry. To include information about your new product
e-mail alan@meatbusiness.ca.
COOL New Version by CSB
CCSB-System Int'l, Inc. released a new version for country of
origin labeling and tracking solutions. The 1997 European
Union Law (directive EC 820/97) works closely with GS 1
(formerly known as UCC), and enables participants, along
the supply chain, to collect detailed information of the
origin of meats. Over the past 11 years, CSB-System has
broadened its concept and grown into a comprehensive
solution where each individual company can choose the
degree of record keeping it will maintain. Within the CSB-
System, meat processors can collect detailed information on
each individual animal through its entire process including
slaughter, cutting, further processing, packaging, and
distribution. All the records required by the U.S. Farm Bill,
making COOL mandatory May 2008, can be recorded, kept,
and exchanged.
csb.com
Least Cost Formulation from CSB
CSB-System recently announced a new version of its least cost
formulation software. Using different material potential, such
as protein content, fat content and other material attributes,
the new system is more modular and allows multiple different
approaches to least cost formulation in the planning stages
as well as in the operational production execution. The new
system can be integrated into the CSB-HACCP module, so
that lab tests for these attributes can directly feed the dynamic
formulas on the production floor.
csb.com
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allow us to do just that.
BEACON will engineer the exact Screen for your processing requirements!!!
Ranchers Mobility Opens Door to New
Traceability Solutions
Computer Aid Professional Services Ltd., with funding
support from the Canadian Integrated Traceability Program
(CITP) of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada is developing
a viable traceability solution for the cattle industry by using
leading edge cellular technology, designed to assist industry
groups to accelerate the development, implementation and
integration of traceability systems across the Canadian meat and
livestock industry.
Creating a solution for the first level of the supply chain is
paramount to the success of a traceability program. Computer
Aid is using cell phone technology combined with software
solutions to demonstrate the ability of front line producers to
easily enter and assign RFID registered tag numbers to their
livestock and then synchronize that data back to the CCIA
database. The mobile device allows the producer to easily enter
additional information associated with his tag inventory from
any location on his operation, regardless of cellular service.
Producer tag inventories and premise ID are moved from the
CCIA database to users’ cell phone while they are in the field,
where the producer will easily enter CCIA tag, VID tag, birth
date and cow VID. The management software is automatically
updated when the cell phone is in range. The updated CCIA
information is then transferred to the CCIA database.
computeraidpro.com
16 Canadian Meat Business May/June 2008 meatbusiness.ca
Jerky Screens
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| Cross Countr y News |
British Columbia
Meat Producers Get Further Licensing
Assistance
A pilot program announced in February by Colin Hansen,
BrSmall-scale meat producers in British Columbia will receive
more than $3.8 million in provincial government funding to build
slaughterhouse capacity, bringing the producers into compliance
with the Ministry of Health's Meat Inspection Regulation, the
province’s health minister George Abbott announced.
The Meat Inspection Regulation was introduced in September
2004 and implemented provincewide on Sept. 30, 2007. In 2006,
the Ministry of Health provided $5 million through the Meat
Transition Assistance Program to assist producers in upgrading
their abattoirs to comply with the new regulation.
The number of provincially licensed slaughter plants in B.C.
has more than tripled between 2004 and 2007 and there are now
40 across the province. The sizes of the facilities vary, including
some small-scale operations that may slaughter only a few times
in the year.
British Columbia has a category of “Class C” transitional
licences for operators working towards obtaining a full licence.
Under Class C, the processor’s meat is labelled as uninspected
and restricted to direct farm gate sales only - not for resale to
retailers or restaurants.
The Meat Inspection Regulation under the B.C. Food Safety
Act is designed to protect public health and promote public
confidence in the province's $22-billion-a-year agricultural food
industry. The regulation creates a meat inspection system that
will help to rapidly identify, track and eliminate food-borne risks
to consumers.
Since the mid-1960s, provincial licensing and inspection have
been required in parts of the province including Vancouver,
Victoria, Vernon, Abbotsford, the Sunshine Coast and the
South Peace. Implementing the regulation provincewide
ensures British Columbians are protected under meat food safety
standards throughout the province.
Saskatchewan
Operations Suspended at Elstow
Research Barn
PSC Elstow Research Farm Inc., a subsidiary company of
Prairie Swine Centre Inc., will be suspending operations due to
the unprecedented losses in the pork business.
The farm, a 600-sow farrow to finish barn designed to support
research work in a commercial-style barn, opened in April 2000.
The mandate of the facility has been to address the needs of the
pork industry for research work using a size and scale typical
of the commercial industry. Research to address these needs
will continue to be the focal point at the facilities of the parent
company, Prairie Swine Centre.
The barn located at Elstow, Sask., and the associated feed mill,
will wind down operations over the next few months to lessen the
impact on employees and the many stakeholders, including pork
producers, and agencies and companies that have counted on
the farm to deliver practical and useful research results.
Prairie Swine Centre is a separate business entity and will
continue its research, graduate student and technology
transfer programs.
In spite of this setback, a new initiative started over two years ago
is underway to complete a $2 million renovation at the original
barns located at Prairie Swine Centre. This redevelopment has
been made possible with a grant from Agriculture and Agri-Food
Canada and the province of Saskatchewan. These renovations
reduce operating costs, making the farm a more competitive
pork producer and will be opened in June 2008.
Prairie Swine Centre Inc., located near Saskatoon, is a nonprofit
research corporation and is recognized globally for its
contributions to practical, applied science in pork production
in the disciplines of nutrition, engineering and applied
animal behaviour.
Manitoba
Hog Barn Burns to Ground
A hog barn located in a Manitoba Hutterite colony burned
to the ground on Apr. 2, in a blaze that killed over 8,000 hogs
and caused $6.5 million in damage. According to the RCMP,
the fire was started by an overheated light fixture.
The hog operation is the principal business for the Netley
Hutterite Colony, located about 50 kilometres northwest
of Winnipeg.
winnipegfreepress.com
Ontario
Generous T.O. Butcher
Shares Wealth
A Toronto butcher and lottery winner
decided to share his newfound wealth by
handing out free four kilogram bags of
chicken legs to his customers.
Jose Lima, known as “Joe the butcher”
to the hundreds of customers he has
served for 22 years, ordered almost
27,000 kilograms of chicken legs, and
placed an extra order to make sure
none of his customers would be walking
away empty handed. The price tag was
$30,000.
Customers were lined up well before
the O Nosso Talho butcher shop – which
is located on Bloor Street just east of
Dufferin Street – opened at 9:30 a.m.
on Apr. 3. By noon, approximately 800
residents received their free chicken and
another 450 were still in line.
Lima, who won his $14.5 million Lotto
6/49 prize in late March, also gave each
of his 50 employees $5,000. According to
CTV news, he promised God he would
give his employees $5,000 each and
give away a truckload of chicken to his
customers if he ever won the lottery.
ctv.ca
Kitchener's Gencor
Foods Closes
Cull cow packer Gencor Foods
(GFI) ceased operations and filed for
bankruptcy on Apr. 1, effectively laying
off 124 workers.
“The necessity of this step is particularly
disappointing because GFI was a
shining example of producers working
together to create a solution to a
significant problem in the livestock
industry,”executive director Brian
O'Connor and president Brian Anderson
wrote in an announcement on the
company's website. “During the past
three years GFI processed approximately
half of the cull cows marketed in
Ontario. From the day the plant opened
until normalized trade was reestablished
with the United States, Ontario livestock
producers realized an additional
$55 million in proceeds from their
cull cows.”
Operations at GFI’s plant were
suspended Apr. 1. The company stated
it will continue to honour its post-filing
obligations including its obligation to
pay producers for processed cattle.
18 Canadian Meat Business May/June 2008 meatbusiness.ca meatbusiness.ca
May/June 2008 Canadian Meat Business 19

Taking a Positive Turn
“
By Alan MacKenzie
W
here will all the meat go?”
According to Karl Kynoch, chair of the Manitoba
Pork Council (MPC), that was the big question
on the minds of Canada’s pork producers when the federal
government announced its $50 million Federal Cull Breeding
Swine Program earlier this year.
The program, officially launched on Apr. 14, is designed to
reduce the country’s breeding swine herd by approximately 10
per cent. Operated by the Canadian Pork Council (CPC), it
offers swine producers payments of $225 per animal culled if
they agree to depopulate hog barns and leave them empty of
breeding stock for three years.
The program is retroactive to November 2007, however hogs
culled after April 14 are not allowed to enter the commercial
food distribution chain. While most of the meat was originally
destined to be rendered for pet food, a large percentage has
so far found its way into food banks, providing quality food for
those that need it most, thanks in part to the efforts of provincial
governments and producer groups.
“Producers didn’t want to see that meat go into disposal, that
goes against what they believe in,” Kynoch said.
He added that MPC and Winnipeg Harvest, Manitoba’s
largest food bank distribution organization, began immediately
Donations of culled pork to food banks makes the best of a
negative situation.
Photo: Winnipeg Harvest
David Northcott, Winnipeg Harvest:
"getting protein to the people."
“Producers didn’t want to see that meat go
into disposal, that goes against what they
believe in,”
– Karl Kynoch, Manitoba Pork Council.
looking into whether the meat culled could be used in the
province’s food banks, turning a negative situation into a
positive one. Similar efforts took place in other provinces,
he explained.
By the end of April Manitoba’s agriculture minister
announced $500,000 to help cover the cost of processing hogs
slaughtered under the program for food bank donations, while
the Saskatchewan and Albert governments committed $440,000
and $300,000 respectively.
“We also got in contact with U.S. representatives just to see if
there would be concern with trade risk, but they were supportive
of it also,” Kynoch added.
David Northcott, executive co-ordinator of Winnipeg Harvest
said over 14 tons of ground pork sausage could be distributed in
Manitoba per month as a result of the program. He estimated
that Winnipeg Harvest moves about 40 tons of food per week.
He noted all the product from the culled animals will be
delivered as ground pork, as it is “simplest and easiest” for both
the food bank and the processors.
“This is about trying to get protein to people,” he said.
Along with the Manitoba government’s announcement
of the funding, Winnipeg Harvest promised in-kind funding
for the transportation of the processed sausage to its
distribution facility.
According to Gary Stordy, a CPC spokesperson, more
than 95,000 animals were committed to the program by mid-
May. He said that animals not processed for food banks will
be rendered.
“There are requirements that the animals are culled
humanely,” he said. “The end product will be consumed one
way or another.”
20 Canadian Meat Business May/June 2008 meatbusiness.ca

| Industr y Roundup |
| Industr y Roundup |
Cancer Claims Premium Brands CEO
Vancouver-based Premium Brands Income Fund announced
May 16 that its CEO Fred Knoedler has died of cancer.
According to a company press release, Knoedler had
worked for Premium Brands and its predecessor companies
for 45 years.
During his tenure, the release said, Premium Brands
underwent a significant transformation from a small commodity
based meat processor to one of Canada's leading specialty food
manufacturing and distribution businesses.
“During Mr. Knoedler's tenure as CEO Premium Brands
underwent a significant transformation from a small commodity
based meat processor to one of Canada's leading specialty food
manufacturing and distribution businesses,” the company said
in its release.
Premium Brands owns a broad range of leading branded
specialty food businesses with manufacturing and distribution
facilities located in British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan,
Manitoba and Washington. In addition, the fund owns
proprietary food distribution and wholesale networks through
which it sells both its own products and those of third parties to
approximately 25,000 customers. The fund's family of brands
include Grimm's, Harvest, McSweeney's, Bread Garden,
Hygaard, Hempler's, Quality Fresh Foods, Gloria's Fresh,
Harlan's and Centennial Foodservice.
Company president George Paleologou has been named
acting CEO.
CMC and NAMP Offer E. Coli Training Session
in Toronto
The Canadian Meat Council (CMC) and North American
Meat Processors Association (NAMP) an E. coli O157:H7 policy
Training Seminar on June 11 at the Sheraton Gateway Airport
Hotel in Toronto.
The seminar provides an excellent opportunity for companies
to update their knowledge on E. coli O157:H7 control strategies
in the meat industry, including regulatory, scientific and
trade considerations.
This is a very timely educational event since an updated
E. coli O157:H7 policy is being implemented in Canada and
United States. Several respected speakers from governments
and research centers will attend the seminar and cover
different topics including new Canadian and U.S. regulatory
requirements and implementation strategies. Practical
examples of E. coli O157:H7 control measures from major
Canadian slaughter and processing plants will also be covered.
Among the speakers announced for the event: Dr. Suzanne
Duquette and Dr. Richard Arsenault, from the Canadian Food
Inspection Agency (CFIA); Dave Kasko, of XL Foods; Dr.
Yemi Ogunrinola, of Vantage Foods; and Dr. Colin Gill, from
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada.
For further information about the program, visit namp.com.
11th BSE Case Involved “Atypical Strain”
An Alberta cow discovered in December 2007 with bovine
spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) was suffering from an
“atypical strain” of the disease, the Canadian Food Inspection
Agency (CFIA) said.
The cow, located on an East Central Alberta commercial
beef farm, was destroyed on Dec. 9 following an illness of
approximately three and a half months duration, CFIA stated.
According to the CFIA website the animal was an unregistered
Hereford cow born on Mar. 15, 1994 and was 165 months of
age at the time of death.
This is Canada's eleventh case of BSE since 2003. CFIA said
no part of the animal entered the human food supply or animal
ffed chain. This is the second case of BSE in Canada that has
involved an atypical strain. Usually atypical BSE cases are found
in animals of an “advanced age at the time of diagnosis” -
both of Canada's atypical cases involved cattle that were over
13 years at the time of confirmation - which is in contrast to
Canada's “classical” BSE cases where the average age has been
approximately six years.
The strain was also been reported in Eurpoe. According to the
CFIA website, the identification of these strains is “a reflection
of an increased global awareness of the potential for multiple
strains of the BSE agent to exist, continuous advancements in
diagnostic test methods and is a direct result of the enhanced
BSE surveillance activities occurring worldwide.”
inspection.gc.ca
Group Awards $8 Million for Prion
Disease Research
Vancouver-based research group PrioNet Canada announced
$8 million in funding for research to help solve the food and
health-related threats posed by prion diseases, such as bovine
spongiform encephalopathy (BSE).
The funding, which will support 19 projects across the
country carried out by 60 Canadian researchers, will accelerate
discoveries surrounding BSE and other prion diseases,
including Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) in humans, a variant
human form of CJD acquired from the consumption of BSEcontaminated
cattle products (vCJD) and chronic wasting
disease (CWD) in deer and elk.
Prion diseases are untreatable, infectious, and fatal
neurodegenerative diseases. Normal prion proteins are found
on the surface of the cells of both humans and animals. Prion
diseases occur when the normal prion protein is misshapen
into the infectious disease-causing form. Research is still
trying to determine exactly how the misshaping occurs. Prions
represent a new class of infectious agents that cause disease
because unlike other viruses or bacteria, prions do not contain
any DNA or RNA.
Among the projects being funded is the development of
a BSE vaccine for cattle to ensure that Canadian herds are
protected against the disease, led by Dr. Andrew Potter from
the Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization (VIDO) based
at the University of Saskatchewan.
A study will also be conducted to determine the level of
BSE testing required to ensure positive consumer confidence
in Canadian food products. Using a “farm to fork” strategy to
trace the human food chain of animal products along with
assessments of the political economy, a team led by Dr. Tomas
Nilsson at the University of Alberta will examine consumer
responses related to voluntary or mandatory BSE testing.
Another project that will be funded is the development of
a strategy to minimize the spread of CWD, led by Dr. Trent
Bollinger and his team at the University of Saskatchewan.
Also, two teams at the University of Ottawa are pioneering
Canadian risk studies on BSE and vCJD. One project led by
Dr. Daniel Krewski is using mathematical models and surveys
combined with scientific knowledge to determine the risk of
Canadians contracting vCJD when exposed to contaminated
cattle products. The other, led by Dr. Michael Tyshenko, is
similarly examining the risk associated with the transmission
of vCJD through transplantation procedures. Both of these
projects are aiming to quantify actual versus perceived risks
of acquiring vCJD, which will help shape public policy related
to prion disease management in Canada's food and health
care systems.
Clearly Canadian Brands to Acquire Baldwin
Street Kosher
Clearly Canadian Brands has signed a letter of intent to
acquire Baldwin Street Kosher, a three-year-old brand of
gourmet hot dogs, sausages, salamis and other kosher/gluten
free meat products.
The Baldwin Street Brand currently sells at several major
Canadian super markets, including Loblaws and Sobeys, and at
the kosher carts at major sporting events at Air Canada Centre
and Rogers Centre in Toronto.
Based in Vancouver, B.C., Clearly Canadian Brands markets
premium “alternative beverages” – including sparkling
flavoured waters and enhanced waters that are distributed in
Canada and the U.S. and various other countries.
CFIC Announces New Tool for Food Retailers
The Canadian Food Industry Council (CFIC) said its new
National Occupational Standards (NOS) will give food retailers
a free tool to help identify training gaps and establish consistent
and thorough performance expectations on which to base
reliable training.
According to a CFIC press release, two-thirds of working
Canadians have not taken part in any formal work-related
learning activities in the past two years and Organization
for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)
comparisons confirm that most Canadian companies underinvest
in adult training. Most small companies have tight
budgets and, can allocate very little to skills and training plans
for their employees.
“National occupational standards define the skills, knowledge
and attitudes that an individual needs to perform competently in
a given occupation,” said Cheryl Paradowski, executive director
of the CFIC. “It is a tool that can help employers to set their
employees up for success by clearly defining responsibilities
and expectations.”
CFIC said NOS translates into improved productivity and
competitiveness, better human resources planning based
upon the assessment guidelines provided, and increased
internal mobility of labour as a by-product of identifying
transferable skills.
NOS for the positions of “Retail Meat Cutter” and “Floral
Clerk” are now available to download for free. Also available
are sample job descriptions and performance evaluation forms
on the NOS.
For details, visit cfic-ccia.ca.
22 Canadian Meat Business May/June 2008 meatbusiness.ca meatbusiness.ca
May/June 2008 Canadian Meat Business 23

BarbecuersGet Grilled
Survey says burgers remain No.1; side burners
grow in popularity.
According to the Weber Canadian
GrillWatch Survey conducted
in September 2007, propane
dominates over charcoal, men remain
in control of the tongs, and hamburger
continues to be hot. However, the online
survey also revealed significant reversals
in some barbecue trends.
The 18th annual survey was conducted
by Toronto-based Leger Marketing
on behalf of Weber-Stephen Products
Co., a Palatine, Illinois-based company
specializing in grills and grill accessories.
More than 1,000 consumers nationwide
aged 19 and over participated in
the survey.
Seventy-nine per cent of those surveyed
said they prefer outdoor grilling to indoor
cooking and 52 per cent said they enjoy
using their barbecue year-round – a
significant rise over the previous reported
figure of 33 per cent in 2005. Twentyeight
per cent of respondents noted they
are grilling more often than before and
31 per cent of women admitted to grilling
more now than a year ago. The study also
found that 88 per cent of Canadians will
fire up the barbecue at least once a week
during grilling season.
Consistent with past years’ survey
results, 84 per cent of respondents own
a liquid propane barbecue versus 13 per
cent who own a charcoal grill. Fifty-two
per cent said they prefer the taste of food
off a charcoal grill even though they own
a gas barbecue, but when both types of
grills are owned, 81 per cent claim they
use the gas grill more often.
The survey said the popularity of natural
gas barbecues rose very slightly to 12 per
cent, the biggest fans being males (15 per
cent), married couples (14 per cent),
and respondents making over $100,000
annually (19 per cent).
Hamburger remains the No. 1 popular
barbecue food item Canadians toss onto
the grill. Eighty-nine per cent reported
they flipped burgers during the past year,
down slightly from a previous high of 94
per cent. Second and third place items
remain the same: chicken pieces (85 per
cent) and steak (78 per cent), although
the popularity of both has dropped slightly
from previous years. Forty-four per cent of
survey respondents noted they are grilling
more vegetables.
Over half (55 per cent) of the primary
grillers in Canadian households are men,
proving that men are still the “kings of the
grill.” This is especially true in Ontario
where 61 per cent of the primary grillers
are men.
Sixty-one per cent of respondents
claimed to be self-taught, while 16 per
cent said they were “taught by dad.” One
in four respondents admit they want to
expand their grilling repertoire to include
roast beef or whole chickens. Although
almost half of those surveyed report they
own at least one grilling cookbook, only
25 per cent say they actually obtain recipes
from them.
Thirty-one per cent said they turn to the
Internet for recipes, which is down slightly
from previous years, while friends and
family remain the top sources for recipes
(32 per cent).
Barbecuers were also asked about their
choice of colour for a potential new grill.
Stainless steel, black, or a combination of
the two was the preferred colour for 73
per cent of respondents. Other choices
included more brilliant colours such
as red, blue or green (two per cent for
each colour).
The survey revealed that side burners
are becoming more popular, as 44 per
cent of respondents said “the ideal
barbecue” must have a side burner.
Previous surveys showed that most grill
owners with side burners were not using
them very much. Other popular features
include: a rotisserie (44 per cent), a back
burner (29 per cent) and a smoker box
(10 per cent).
Three out of four respondents said
they are “somewhat interested to very
interested” in having searing zone
capability on their next barbecue.
However, only 1 per cent of respondents
already own a grill with this feature.
The most popular reason for turning
on the burners is to celebrate a birthday
(72 per cent), which beat out Canada Day
(65 per cent) for the first time, and also
Father's Day (55 per cent).
- weber.com
24 Canadian Meat Business May/June 2008 meatbusiness.ca

Environmentally Friendly
By Patrick T. Copps
T
hink “green” is just for fans
of granola? Think again.
Even meat processors can go
green, and with consumers increasingly
demanding eco-sensitive products, now
is the time to start. An easy way to begin
greening your operation is to implement
a more environmentally friendly pest
management program that reduces
the emphasis on pesticides without
compromising efficacy. Not only will your
emphasis on green techniques reflect
well on your business, but auditors will
recognize your efforts while appreciating
a production plant free of diseasecarrying
pests.
The greenest of pest control strategies
is integrated pest management (IPM).
IPM reduces pests’ access to their
survival needs – food, water and shelter
– through stringent sanitation and facility
maintenance. Auditors prefer to see a
comprehensive IPM program in place as
it shows a processor is looking to prevent
pests before they ever become a problem.
With the return of warmer weather
and increased pest pressures, now is a
great time to review your IPM program
with your pest management provider.
Revisit all your sanitation and facility
maintenance programs to see if there are
areas where you can make improvements.
Once your IPM program is reset for
spring and summer, work with your pest
management professional to implement
the following green strategies.
Fly Lights – Flies are the number one
transmitter of disease in the world – carrying
up to half-a-billion microorganisms on
their bodies. These insects can travel long
distances quickly and contaminate every
surface where they land. For this reason,
fly lights are an essential tool in your green
pest management toolbox. Fly lights use
UV light to attract flies into a non-toxic
sticky trap. It’s important to work with a
pest management professional to ensure
the lights are installed properly and in
appropriate locations. If facing the wrong
way, fly lights could inadvertently draw
more pests into your facility.
Positive Airflow – Using air currents is
a simple and effective way to protect your
Pest Control
How to “green” your pest management program.
Photo: Orkin Canada
Place sticky traps under equipment
and in corners to trap crawling pests.
IPM reduces pests’ access to
their survival needs – food,
water and shelter – through
stringent sanitation and
facility maintenance.
facility from flying insects. Air should flow
out of your building when a door opens.
To test this, stand near an open door with
a lit match. If the flame blows outward you
have positive airflow. If it blows inward you
have negative airflow and need to work
with an HVAC professional to correct this.
To further utilize air as a pest management
tool, locate air curtains at entrance points.
Install an overhead industrial air curtain
if practical or place two fans facing each
other and pointing slightly out the door
– this current of air literally blocks pests
from flying in.
Sticky Traps – Place sticky traps under
equipment and in corners to trap
crawling pests. In addition to serving as a
trap, these are also excellent monitoring
devices – alerting you to the presence of
pests so you can tackle problems quickly.
Pheromone Traps & Insect Growth
Regulators – Pheromone traps and insect
growth regulators (IGRs) turn pests’
own biology against them. Pheromone
traps use synthetic insect pheromones to
lure pests to a sticky trap. IGRs also use
synthetics – this time replicating hormones
to disrupt the pests’ life cycle. Pests that
come into contact with IGRs do not reach
sexual maturity and are therefore unable
to breed.
Non-Volatile Baits – Non-volatile baits
are made with chemical formulations that
do not become airborne. Packaged in
gels or bait pucks, these baits are carried
by insects back to the nest – making
it a great tool for eliminating entire
colonies. Pest management professionals
can apply these bait materials in
appropriate locations.
Repellants – Repellants include a
combination of silica gel and plant-based
pyrethrins to damage insects’ exoskeletons.
Exposure to this combination leads pests
to immediately retreat and causes their
bodies to dry out. Small amounts of
repellant dust help keep pests from hiding
in hard-to-reach cracks and crevices in and
around your facility. Seal the cracks with a
high-grade caulk after applying repellants
to reduce the pests’ hiding spots and the
chance of future infestations.
Organic Cleaners – Organic cleaners
don’t target pests directly, but rather help
to eliminate the food sources that attract
pests. Naturally occurring “good bacteria”
help break down the grease, grime and
debris that provide food for pests. Using
an organic drain cleaner and scrubbing
with a brush can help eliminate debris
and prevent concerns with pests like
drain flies.
The green revolution is continuing.
Consumers will continue to demand
an eco-conscious product from all the
companies they do business with. Your
greener operations will show that you’re
not just on board with a trend, but have
a real and lasting commitment to the
environment. Don’t forget that auditors
will appreciate your commitment to a
clean, pest-free facility as well.
Patrick Copps is technical services manager
for Orkin’s Pacific Division. For more
information, email pcopps@rollins.com
or visit www.orkincanada.com.
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26 Canadian Meat Business May/June 2008 meatbusiness.ca meatbusiness.ca
May/June 2008 Canadian Meat Business 27

| Product Showcase | | Product Showcase |
STAINLESS STEEL TRUCKS / RACKS
Let Beacon customize
one of our standard Truck
designs for your processing
requirements. Our experts
have 80 years of experience
in engineering the right
Truck for the right job.
Whether it is a Nesting,
Bacon, Sausage or Ham
Rack, we will design the
unit for your needs. We
do not over design and
add cost or under design
and give our customers a
Truck that will not perform.
New
One Piece Shovel from Remco
• Deep scoop
capacity
• Multiple
ergonomic grips
• Secondary ‘blade’
grip for heavy loads
• Enlarged extra width
D-grip
• Textured shaft for
secure hold
• Molded footplate for
extra scooping action
1-800-465-3536
ALBERTA:
1-888-678-9378
OPPORTUNITY
KNOCKS!
BOXED MEAT BUSINESS
priced at $849,900
Long established boxed meat
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• 3750 SQ. FT. RETAIL PLUS 2 BR
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BEACON, Inc.
100 S. Mannheim Road, Hillside, IL 60162
Phone (708) 544-9900 Fax (708) 544-9999
beaconmetals.com
201 DON PARK ROAD, UNIT 1, MARKHAM, ONTARIO L3R 1C2
Phone: 905-470-1136 Fax: 905-470-8417
E-mail: SALES@YESGROUP.CA
Bob McCorkindale
519-836-6365
RE/MAX Real Estate
Centre Inc. Brokerage
Len Schiedel
519-836-1072
HOMELIFE Realty
Guelph Limited
Invitation to:
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2009
Graphic Design I Marketing I Publishing
Writing/Editing Services I Public/Media Relations
Meat Industry Convention
Calgary, March 6-8, 2009
Featuring an Exhibitor Trade Show and Value
added Seminar with Experts from our Industry.
Call Melody Pashko at 403-201-3657 ext.21
for more detail.
1-800-465-3536
ALBERTA:
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201 DON PARK ROAD, UNIT 1, MARKHAM, ONTARIO L3R 1C2
Phone: 905-470-1136 Fax: 905-470-8417
E-mail: SALES@YESGROUP.CA
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28 Canadian Meat Business May/June 2008 meatbusiness.ca meatbusiness.ca
May/June 2008 Canadian Meat Business 29

| Meat Industr y Business Watch |
Entrepreneurs Coaching
By James Sbrolla
Entrepreneurs
Entrepreneur-In-Residence program brings mentorship and other
things that money can’t buy.
A
new program in Ontario is
making great strides in fostering
technologies. The program is
called the Market Readiness Program
(MRP) funded by the Ministry of Research
and Innovation and executed by a number
of agencies. The ministry has engaged
MaRS to deploy this program. So, some
may ask, who, what or where is MaRS?
The MaRS Centre is a non-profit
innovation centre connecting science,
technology and social entrepreneurs
with business skills, networks and capital
to stimulate innovation and accelerate
the creation and growth of successful
Canadian enterprises. Located in the
heart of Toronto’s Discovery District
– two square kilometers that have
been designated as the city’s centre of
innovation – the MaRS Centre is the
gateway to Canada’s largest concentration
of scientific research, anchored by
several of Toronto’s major teaching
hospitals, the University of Toronto and
more than two dozen affiliated research
institutes. The centre is also steps from
the Bay Street financial district and the
provincial legislature, as well as numerous
government organizations, arts and
cultural attractions.
The centre houses a dynamic crosssection
of research labs and other
technology enterprises, together
with business advisors, investors and
professional services. This synergy
translates to hands-on advisory services
and entrepreneurial programming,
all facilitated by the program’s
structured networks and expanding
electronic community.
As part of this initiative, MaRS has
partnered with various government and
industry agencies within specific market
segments to engage entrepreneurs with
sector-specific experience, knowledge
and contacts, to serve as business mentors
to member companies. The advice and
support of these “Entrepreneurs in
Residence” (EIR) is invaluable in assisting
technology developers and scientists,
who often lack business acumen, to
bring to market and commercialize their
emerging technologies.
EIRs are located in regional offices
across the province and offer mentorship,
advice and assistance to technology
entrepreneurs. They actively participate
in MRP program components including
educational programs, direct mentorship,
and coordination and approval of business
advisory services.
The role of the Entrepreneurs
in Residence
The EIRs are at the front lines of
MRP’s service delivery, working handson
with companies brought directly to
the program or through other channels,
including the Ontario Commercial
Network (OCN) partners.
EIRs assist in assessing companies and
evaluating the strengths and weaknesses
of the team, their technology and market
strategy to help improve the company’s
market readiness. This iterative evaluation
process may include connecting a client
company to other programs and mentors
during the development stage and may
involve the use of external experts for
validation or the leveraging of additional
programs or resources.
EIRs assist in assessing companies
and evaluating the strengths and
weaknesses of the team, their
technology and market strategy to
help improve the company’s
market readiness.
In offering their mentorship, the EIR
acts solely as an arms length advisor and
not as a business leader. Decisions are left
to the entrepreneurs, even if mentors have
reservations about the path being chosen.
EIRs must accept all decisions and help
the ventures move forward, however the
entrepreneurs wish to proceed.
The client companies
The goal of the MRP is to service highpotential
growth-oriented technology
companies so that they may get off the
ground and attract investment from
other sources. MRP’s goal is to provide
these companies with the necessary
management skills and related services
in order to accelerate their development.
As a primary gateway into MRP, EIRs are
essential to ensuring that MRP is servicing
quality companies that fit within the scope
of its program objectives.
To gain access to MRP Market
Intelligence, EIR Mentorship and Business
Advisory Services, companies serviced by
MRP should:
• Be involved in the development of
a technology or be technological
in nature;
• Be at concept, start-up, or development
stages, rather than in an
expansion stage;
• Have total revenues less than $2 million;
• Have no more than $1 million in private
investment (“angel” or VC).
Entrepreneur training is accessible to
all companies and encouraged for any
technology developers and those trying to
commercialize their ideas.
Companies interested in finding
out more about the program should
check out the MaRS website at
mrp.marsdd.com.
Special Note: James Sbrolla, our business
columnist is one of the Entrepreneurs in
Residence in the Market Readiness Program.
James Sbrolla is a Torontobased
management consultant
and can be reached at
416.234.5120
or sbrolla@rogers.com.
30 Canadian Meat Business May/June 2008 meatbusiness.ca