“Our board member Hisakazu Hayakawa, an advisor for the Japan Meat Traders Association, used his extensive business contacts to arrange this meeting,” said Joe Makowecki, ALMA Board Chair. “The diverse expertise on our board allows ALMA to tackle important industry issues such as market access.”

The purpose of this informal meeting is to draw together industry stakeholders in Japan and Canada to develop a coordinated, industry led campaign to:

• increase market access into Japan; and
• coordinate the definition of import protocols between Canada and Japan.

“This mission will help identify livestock and meat opportunities in Japan,” said Gordon Cove, President and CEO of ALMA. “Meeting with members of Japan’s Meat Traders Association is a step towards positive change for Alberta’s livestock and meat industry.”

The ALMA Canada-Japan working group is comprised of key beef industry stakeholders from Alberta and Japan. In addition to Hayakawa, ALMA board members attending the meetings include Kee Jim, an Alberta feedlot health management consultant; Ted Bilyea, a Toronto-based agri-food consultant; and John Weekes, an international trade consultant based in Ottawa. Representatives from the Canadian Cattlemen’s Association (CCA) and Canadian Beef Export Federation (CBEF) will also attend this initial gathering. The group expects to meet three to four times over the next 18 months.

On the evening of November 9, Alberta’s Agriculture Minister, George Groeneveld, will join the ALMA contingent along with Japanese guests at a reception hosted by ALMA.

Improved market access is one of ALMA’s four key priorities.   For more information on ALMA’s role as a catalyst organization, visit www.alma.alberta.ca.

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