CNGF Accomplishments 2008 (PDF, 46 Kb)

Direct payments

As a result of the CNGF working with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, following are direct payments that were made to the goat industry in 2004 and 2005 or were pending. These figures were obtained in May 2005. Direct payments to goat producers were made because the CNGF lobbied the government for compensation for the negative impact that BSE had upon the goat industry and no such payment would have been made without that effort on the part of the CNGF. Species-specific groups that did not make any representation to the government did not receive any funding.

Total funding received or approved as of April 10, 2007 : $2,524,452

Additional funding over and above this amount was paid to goat producers, but the government wrapped that additional funding in the CAIS program and there is therefore no way of identifying specifically how much more was paid to the goat industry.

Total direct payments already made to goat producers : $1,285,250

Government funding approved and/or paid to the goat industry :

BSE recovery program

BSE recovery strategy task force recommendations for other ruminants (recommended but not yet paid) :
Est. goat share for scrapie surveillance & eradication program : $656,000

It was initially anticipated that there would be approximately an additional $500,000 available for BSE recovery, but that additional government funding was not forthcoming.

Much of the money paid under the BSE recovery program consisted of direct payments to producers. The remainder consists of funding for programs that will enable goat producers to gain broader access to both domestic and foreign markets for goat products in the future.

Other Ruminant Market Development

The Agriculture & Agri-Food funding for this program expired at the end of March 2007. Purpose of the program was to promote goat products, including meat, milk and fibre in domestic markets. This included the development of recipe cards, brochures, banners, etc. and also involved attendance at trade shows, as well as advertising in many well known magazines and newspapers and the development of a new website. The CNGF office is already receiving many more enquiries re goat products as a result of this program.

Genetics Marketing Program

In view of the fact that BSE closed the U.S. border to Canadian breeding stock, government funding was obtained to develop export markets in other foreign countries. Initial funding for this program was identified by the CNGF, but the Canadian Meat Goat Association subsequently took over this program and has done substantial work on developing export markets for both dairy and meat goats.

The leader of the Canadian goat industry

The federal and provincial governments have come to recognize the CNGF as the organization that speaks for the Canadian goat industry. Consequently, members of the CNGF are routinely consulted on matters of interest to the livestock industry and to goats in particular. This is a major improvement over the situation of only a few years ago, when the goat industry was consulted very little on any issue, simply because there was no consolidated voice in the industry that could speak for all producers across the country until the CNGF was formed to represent all provincial goat associations at the national level. The fact that government now routinely discusses issues with the CNGF is a major step forward for the goat industry, in that it provides all producer groups the opportunity to provide input into matters that affect their business. And the importance of having senior and operational people in Agriculture Canada and the CFIA know who to call in the CNGF to obtain input and recommendations into matters affecting goat producers cannot be over emphasized. This has caused government to recognize goat production as a valid industry with a voice at the table when livestock policies are discussed. This is much different than what was happening only several years ago.

The Federation has been involved in a number of issues since 2004 that are important to all goat producers. Matters in which the CNGF has had consultation and input into on behalf of the goat industry include the following :

• USDA importation rules for live animals into the USA :
  The CNGF continues to lobby for the opening of the U.S. border to Canadian breeding stock.
• CFIA importation rules for live animals into Canada :
  The Canadian border will soon be open to U.S. breeding stock.
• Bluetongue/anaplasmosis regulations for animals imported from USA.
• Feed ban regulations for ruminants.
• Scrapie prevalence study for goats :
  The CNGF has been instrumental in enabling goat producers to enroll in a voluntary scrapie flock certification program. This is already a requirement for export to many countries and soon will be a requirement of many more countries. Enrollment in the certification program is also required in order to import does for breeding purposes from foreign countries.
• Federal/provincial transition proposal for goats and other ruminants :
  This has to do with federal/provincial negotiations regarding payment structure after the CNGF had convinced the federal government that the goat industry should get a slice of the BSE recovery funding.
• Federal compensation policy for destroyed goats.
• Tagging and branding rules for live animals to the U.S.
• Representation at farm income meetings with the federal government, as well as written representation and follow-up.
• Restriction of goat meat and milk products from other countries :
  The CNGF has had discussions with the federal government regarding restriction of imports from countries that do not have the same standards of health, traceability, scrapie surveillance, on farm food safety, etc. as Canada does. The importation of cheap food products from countries that do not meet the same standards as the Canadian product puts the Canadian producer at an unacceptable cost of production disadvantage.
• Compromised animals policy re humane handling of livestock during shipping.
• West Hawk Lake zoning proposal :
  The CNGF has a representative at the table regarding the proposed division of the country into zones for disease control issues. This is an issue that is sure to affect goat producers in the future, but until recent years is also the type of issue that did not have any goat representation.
• Canadian Livestock Identification Agency :
  The CNGF is a founding member of this organization, in which we work with other species groups regarding national identification and ensuring producer input and needs are considered and that the overall criteria can be managed between species. Through this agency, the CNGF is also involved in the establishment of performance targets best suited to the livestock industry with respect to traceability.
• Industry-Government Advisory Committee :
  This committee stems from the Federal, Provincial and Territorial task force that looks at all aspects of traceability, including agriculture, food safety, emergency mandates and management of information. Essentially, this is where industry and government meet to establish criteria for producers and industry with respect to traceability and all the aforementioned aspects. One of the roles of the CNGF in this forum is to ensure that national mandates do not become too burdensome on the goat producer.
• Sheep ID working group :
  The CNGF has a representative on the sheep ID working group, which is a group that is revising the ID program for sheep. Because anything that is identified as being required by sheep will inevitably be applied to goats as well, it is a huge advantage to have someone on the working group that will implement some of these things prior to the implementation of the goat ID program.
• Numerous other consultations with federal/provincial governments re policies, procedures, statistics, etc. that affect the goat industry. Interaction with various government representatives takes place on a weekly basis.

Prior to the formation of the CNGF, there was little or no consultation with the goat industry with regard to issues such as those listed above. The Canadian National Goat Federation is a very young organization, but has accomplished much in a few short years. The Board of Directors is committed to continuing to provide a strong voice for the Canadian goat industry at the national level. When the above noted programs are completed, the goat industry will still require a strong voice nationally and there will still be a requirement for an organization that is able to deliver the national programs of the future. The CNGF will continue to fill those needs.

Report on accomplishments from 2004 to April 2007.
Revised April 10, 2007.