Overstocked: Alberta cattle feeders backed up after temporary closure of meat-processing plant

Alberta's cattle feeders are getting a first-hand look at what happens when the industry supply chain is disrupted — and what they're seeing is a growing food bill with too many animals remaining on their properties. 

Todd Wagner owns Fieldstone Feeders in Stony Plain, Alta., about 40 kilometres west of Edmonton.

He raises almost 3,000 cattle for a farmer in Lethbridge, Alta. When the animals are ready for slaughter, Wagner ships them south.

But the temporary shutdown of one of Canada's largest meat-processing plants means the Lethbridge farmer isn't accepting cattle, which has led to a backlog on Wagner's farm.

"They're getting backed up with fat cattle that they're not able to get processed and that's backing us up in sending cattle to him," Wagner said. "It's just kind of backing up the supply chain."

It's an issue happening across Alberta.

The Cargill meat-processing plant in High River, Alta., was temporarily closed April 20 after a major COVID-19 outbreak among its employees.

As of Saturday afternoon, 917 Cargill employees had tested positive for the disease, including a worker in her 60s who died. The plant reopened Monday despite strong concerns from the union. 

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"That plant would process 4,000, 4,500 animals a day. So, that's over 20,000 animals a week," said Rich Smith, executive director of Alberta Beef Producers.

"You take that plant out of operation for two weeks, now there's 40,000 animals that should have gone for processing that have been held on feeding operations," Smith said. 

"That's the kind of backlog we're looking at."

Cattle feeders across Alberta affected

The producers who will be affected most are those who are still feeding cattle that are ready to be slaughtered and processed.

"There is absolutely more feed costs. They will keep feeding those animals," Smith said. "They're feeding them lower energy diets so that the animals aren't growing quickly because they're going to have to hold them longer."

There are price insurance programs for beef producers but premiums have become unaffordable, Smith said.

"Governments already offset premiums of ailing crop insurance and we'd like to see them do that for cattle producers," he said.

Wagner said that he will keep feeding the cattle on his property and prepare for his fields for the upcoming growing season.

He said he'll stay focused, adapt and hope for the best.

"I hope it levels out for us. People need to eat," he said. "That's our business. We're going to carry on with that."