The federal government on Monday announced more than $6 million to help boost international demand for Canadian beef.
The money from the federal AgriMarketing Program is earmarked for two beef and cattle organizations, with Canada Beef receiving $5.86 million, and the Canadian Cattle Association getting just over $453,000.
The investment aims to drive the growth of Canada’s beef industry through promotional activities – such as advertising campaigns, incoming and outgoing trade missions, technical training, and educational seminars - that increase awareness and demand for Canadian beef in existing and new markets, said a government release.
The value of Canadian beef exports has increased in recent years. From 2018 to 2022, the value increased from $2.7 billion to $4.7 billion, and, in 2023, the value of Canadian beef exports exceeded $5 billion.
In 2023, the top importing countries for Canadian beef included the US ($4 billion), Japan ($351 million), Mexico ($284 million), South Korea ($122 million), and Vietnam ($79 million).