Local cattle farmers applaud end to decades-long beef restrictions in Japan
Adam and Sydney Trimble are generational cattle farmers in Essex County.
But two years ago, they opened up their own store — direct marketing of their product to local customers.
“We really wanted to just show people what we produce in Ontario, especially when we got involved with Ontario corn, letting us know how much beef is exported out of the province and now we want to kind of show people what we do,” Adam said.
And while the shop does good business — some of that product needs to be exported.
And the market for that just opened back up in a big way — with Japan reopening its doors to processed, ground and beef patties from Canada.
“This is a very important market for Canadian beef products,” said Kim O’Neil, vice president of beef and veal, Canadian Meat Council. “It's our number two export market after the United States. It's a reliable market. It's a reliable partner.”
According to the federal government, beef exports to Japan were already worth $518 million in 2022.
Many partners including the Canadian Beef Council, have been working on removing this final regulatory hurdle for four years.
“Canada beef’s office in Japan has just done an estimate that this is going to this could provide an opportunity for $47 million US dollars into Japan, so that’s a big win for us,” O’Neil said.
The Trimbles see the opportunity to sell more product.
“Having another market to send beef to just increases our price and that just makes it more profitable and sustainable for us,” said Adam.
As the ranks of cattle farmers dwindle in Essex County, the biggest cattle farm in the county is hoping this change can result in growth in the industry.
“We're kind of last few,” Adam said. “So hopefully we'll see it come back more than that, and this is definitely there's definitely light at the end of the tunnel.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Quebec nurse had to clean up after husband's death in Montreal hospital
On a night she should have been mourning, a nurse from Quebec's Laurentians region says she was forced to clean up her husband after he died at a hospital in Montreal.
Northern Ont. lawyer who abandoned clients in child protection cases disbarred
A North Bay, Ont., lawyer who abandoned 15 clients – many of them child protection cases – has lost his licence to practise law.
Bank of Canada officials split on when to start cutting interest rates
Members of the Bank of Canada's governing council were split on how long the central bank should wait before it starts cutting interest rates when they met earlier this month.
Maple Leafs fall to Bruins in Game 3, trail series 2-1
Brad Marchand scored twice, including the winner in the third period, and added an assist as the Boston Bruins downed the Toronto Maple Leafs 4-2 to take a 2-1 lead in their first-round playoff series Wednesday
Cuban government apologizes to Montreal-area family after delivering wrong body
Cuba's foreign affairs minister has apologized to a Montreal-area family after they were sent the wrong body following the death of a loved one.
'It was instant karma': Viral video captures failed theft attempt in Nanaimo, B.C.
Mounties in Nanaimo, B.C., say two late-night revellers are lucky their allegedly drunken antics weren't reported to police after security cameras captured the men trying to steal a heavy sign from a downtown business.
What is changing about Canada's capital gains tax and how does it impact me?
The federal government's proposed change to capital gains taxation is expected to increase taxes on investments and mainly affect wealthy Canadians and businesses. Here's what you need to know about the move.
New Indigenous loan guarantee program a 'really big deal,' Freeland says at Toronto conference
Canada's Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland was among the 1,700 delegates attending the two-day First Nations Major Projects Coalition (FNMPC) conference that concluded Tuesday in Toronto.
'Life was not fair to him': Daughter of N.B. man exonerated of murder remembers him as a kind soul
The daughter of a New Brunswick man recently exonerated from murder, is remembering her father as somebody who, despite a wrongful conviction, never became bitter or angry.