“Consumers have been ripped off by the beef packers and retailers while farmers and ranchers are going broke”, said Mr. Bruce Cran, President of the Association. “In fact we are being gouged twice – once by paying regular markups on product which was purchased at distress prices and again through the $400 million dollars taken from our taxes.”

The BSE crisis has hit the cattle industry hard. “The program that was designed by the Canadian Government was seriously flawed”, said Mr. Cran . “The Auditor General of Canada should conduct a special investigation. The purpose of the $400 million of taxpayers money was to help beef producers overcome a serious crisis. Somehow, about half of this amount wound up lining the coffers of meat packers. This is unconscionable”, he added.

The Consumers Association is calling on the meat packing companies to come up with a plan to give back their $200 million in windfall profits to beef
producers.

(Photo courtesy of Free Stock Photos)