For example, there is a so-called Northwest Cattle Project under which we have sat down with the United States and figured out how we might facilitate the increased movement of feeder cattle from the U.S. into Alberta feed lots in particular, and on a reciprocal basis, facilitate the movement of Canadian cattle into the Pacific Northwest.

Meat processing establishments and traders of live animals will also benefit through a reduction of labor costs.

The negotiations resulted in a so called Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs), which foresee gradual lifting of sanctions imposed on EU agricultural products by the US and Canada in exchange of an autonomous, zero-duty, tariff-rate quota for high quality beef not treated with hormones.

I believe we must do the following: champion a new focus on Canada’s international trading life; modernize Canada’s trade negotiation strategies and philosophies; stimulate the development of a deeply rooted export culture in our industry and governments; rebuild the optimism necessary to process 4.5 million cattle in Canada, with 1.4 million just for Asia and Mexico; and export 800,000 tonnes of beef out of Canada by 2015, with half of that total imported by markets outside the U.S. It's high time for the Canadian cattle and beef industry to turn its attention from survival to the continued pursuit of growth and prosperity.

For several months, European dealers in raw cattle hides have been forbidden to export their products to markets in Asia, because of the situation with regard to foot and mouth disease.

The sixth point is significantly higher industry participation levels in all market access and trade negotiations affecting the trade in live cattle and bovine products.