Recently in Livestock Sector Category
The Canadian beef industry functions in a global market, exporting 50 percent of its beef and cattle production, 80 percent of which goes to the United States (CBEF Website). As a global market player, beef producers must contend with global factors
that are often beyond their control. World feedstock shortages, growing demand
for grain to make ethanol, rising oil prices and the rise in the Canadian
dollar relative to the US dollar have negatively affected Canada's competitive position
in the beef industry. If Canada is to remain competitive in the global beef
industry what factors are within producers' control to provide a new
competitive edge to Canadian beef? Will a future competitive advantage lie in
achieving further production cost efficiencies in a commodity market, or can
the Canadian industry turn to further product differentiation as the future
basis for its competitive advantage?
