LETHBRIDGE, Alta. -
A prominent southern Alberta cattleman says the industry is undergoing a shakeup that could see the province lose up to 40 per cent of the industry over the next years.
Bob Balog of Lethbridge says cattle producers are getting squeezed between tighter, more expensive safety concerns and low returns at the auction.
Balog says some ranchers are reluctant to implement measures such as age labelling for their cattle, maintaining that the extra steps won't help when food scares bring politics and emotion into play.
But he believes that ultimately, those measures are what will safeguard Canadian cattle producers in the global market.
Meanwhile, he says a shakedown is coming for the entire industry, from producers to feedlots to service providers.
