The Reminder is making its archives back to 2003 available on our website. Please note that, due to technical limitations, archive articles are presented without the usual formatting.
Manitoba's cattle slaughtering trade will receive a $1 million shot in the arm. In making the recent announcement, Premier Gary Doer told the media that he hopes to expand slaughtering facilities to handle an additional 10,000 cattle each year. "We're trying to make the deals that will help the industry over the long-term. We think this is a good start," he said. Manitoba's slaughtering industry has suffered in part because of the U.S. government's decision to partially close its borders to Canadian beef after a single cow in Alberta was diagnosed with mad cow disease. Doer told reporters that the seven-figure allotment will not be spent on new slaughtering facilities. The Winnipeg Free Press offered the following breakdown of the $1 million package: Up to $500,000 to employ and train new employees to extend hours of operation at slaughtering facilities. $150,000 to perform a feasibility study on upgrading some of the provincially-registered slaughtering facilities to federal status, which would allow the beef to be shipped out of Manitoba. $250,000 to help offset increased operating costs, including employee overtime, new refrigeration and lease of additional space on a short-term basis. $100,000 to help persuade Manitoba restaurants, grocery stores and consumers to buy Manitoba beef.
