Producers to vote on cattle tracking system

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A program that would inspect cattle with an eye to cut down on theft is the focus of a vote at today’s (Feb. 20) annual general meeting of the Manitoba Beef Producers.

Details on the program are not yet firm, but it is currently planned to be modeled after one in Saskatchewan. Jason Pollock, CEO of Livestock Services of Saskatchewan, said inspections ensure that business is conducted honestly.

“We’re the boots on the ground for the paper contract, whatever that paper contract is,” said Pollock.

He said inspections lead to an account of the cattle’s history, such as if there are agreements that need to be upheld. When cattle are delivered for sale, a common result is that staff discover there are multiple people entitled to the proceeds, and action may be needed to “redirect” payments.

The dispute may be between many people, including family members, business partners, husbands and wives. Many cases are referred to civil courts, said Pollock.

The system also guards against theft and fraud, as thieves face the threat of getting caught. The program has a system where “the equivalent of an all-points bulletin” is published when animals are missing. Inspectors then keep their eyes open for the animal as they clear herds for sale or for transport out of the province.

Inspections increase trust and reliability for everyone involved, according to the Saskatchewan CEO — but it’s not yet been implemented in Manitoba.

“Unfortunately, whoever shows up with the cattle at the buying mart gets the cheque,” said Manitoba Beef Producers board president Matthew Atkinson.

He told the Sun that there are gaps in the Manitoba system and that adopting something similar to Saskatchewan’s would ease anxieties for Manitobans with regards to theft and fraud.

“We don’t have any way to do that right now in Manitoba. So that does really add a big value,” he said. “It allows some peace of mind that there is somebody checking for ownership.”

The inspections would deter theft, by asking for proof of ownership when cattle are transported out of Manitoba and when cattle are sold to licensed buyers. The system would plug a gap in the local livestock industry where farmers have few options for recourse.

“If I go out and round-up my cows in Manitoba and I find five cows are missing, … I don’t really have any way to try and track them down,” Atkinson said in a phone call with the Sun. “If we (introduce) inspections, then it would give the cattle producers somebody to call.”

The program would put pressure on thieves by adding a checkpoint where they could be caught trying to offload stolen property. The process would be like a police officer alerting pawn shops of a list of stolen items that might come up for sale after a robbery, Atkinson said.

Curtis Gerow is a fourth-generation cattle farmer in Souris and he said he supports the program His herd has not been targeted, but the same can’t be said of nearby farms.

“I know of people in the area, even last year there was some stolen down in the Lauder area,” said Gerow. “The first thing they’re going to try to do is get (the cattle) out and gone before anybody notices. Get them 500 miles away.”

Gerow told the Sun hopes the program will be enforced and that he plans to brand his 275 cattle this year, regardless of the outcome of the vote, to protect them against theft.

Atkinson said the board hopes members will show strong support for the program. If they do, the board would begin to lobby the province to establish the checkpoint system.

If implemented, the program would have an RCMP officer with a dedicated role to help with enforcement and organizers would publicize a database with tattoo tags and brandings that could be referenced at the border when inspectors check ownership.

If enacted, the program would have to be mandatory, the association wrote on its website. When cattle are sold in smaller transactions, such as between producers, the inspection process could be voluntary and called upon by the buyer if desired.

» cmcdowell@brandonsun.com