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  • Table of Contents

    • Part 1: First Nations of the Peace River Region
    • Part 2: The Fur Trade Era
    • Part 3: Transportation and Communication
    • Part 4: Old Timers and the Price of Land
    • Part 5: Dawson Creek: The Story of the Community
    • Part 6: Mysteries, Adventures and Indian Legends
    • Part 7: Arts, Crafts and Recreation
    • Part 8: Agriculture
    • Part 9: Church Histories
    • Part 10: Schools
    • Part 11: Health Care
    • Part 12: Industries and Enterprises
    • Part 13: Policing the Peace
    • Part 14: Pouce Coupe, Rolla, and Other South Peace Communities
    • Part 15: Chetwynd and the Fort St. John Area
    • Part 16: The Alberta Peace
    • Part 17: Natural History of the Peace River Region
    • Part 18: Interviews with Old Timers
    • Part 19: Remembering Our Veterans

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BN08-74: Local Cattle Prices on the Rise

Recent History – 2003

October 31, 2003 — Gary Rusak, Daily News Staff

For the first time in a long time there is optimism in the local cattle industry.

“The cattle prices are up now,” said Art Patterson of Peace Country Livestock Auction Ltd. “It looks a lot better than I thought it would. Eighty days ago I didn’t think it was going to be this good.”

The Peace Country Livestock Auction held its second auction of the week Thursday and sold 500 head of cattle. On Tuesday 2,200 head of cattle moved through the auction house. The prices held steady – comparable with last year’s – throughout the auction, which attracted buyers across the Peace Country. According to Patterson, the feeder prices have been steadily rising for the last three weeks. He attributes the increase to optimism surrounding the possibility of the U.S. border opening to Canadian meat.

“I think that people are betting that the border will open at some point soon,” he said, adding that when the border does reopen there will be such demand in the western United States that it will bolster Western Canada’s industry.

“Right now the most of the meat in the western states is coming from the eastern states,” he said. “When the border opens again we will be able to supply the west.”

The feeling around Peace Country Livestock Auction on Thursday was one of tempered optimism.

“I think everyone is hoping that the border will open again,” said Alvin Billings of High Prairie, Alberta, who made a few cattle purchases at the auction on Thursday. “We have been surprised (the market) has been as strong as it is.”

Prices fetched for 400 to 500-pound feeder calves hovered around $1.20 per pound, a substantial increase from the 70 cents a pound some experts had predicted after the first and only case of bovine spongiform encephalopathy was discovered on May 20th in Alberta. Besides optimism about a possible border reopening, another factor that has raised the price of cattle is the drop in the price of feed.

“The feed is about 20 per cent cheaper than it was this time last year,” said Patterson, adding that it has made it an incentive to buy more animals because maintaining them doesn’t cost as much. However, the underlying factor for the higher prices is the high consumer demand. Demand for beef, both locally and internationally has not dropped since the BSE case was discovered in May.

“People are still eating meat,” said Patterson. “As long as people still want it the price will be strong.”

Wayne Porter, a Dawson Creek buyer, explained that even the smallest sign of the border reopening has re-energized the market.

“Since they let boneless beef across there has been a real improvement,” he said. “It shows great possibilities in the future.”

This article is taken from the Peace River Block Daily News, Dawson Creek, with the permission of the publisher. The Daily News retains all rights relating to this material. The information in this article is intended solely for research or general interest purposes.

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BN08-75: Groups Reach Historic Fall Fair Agreement »

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