A producer’s bottom line is their most important consideration – after all, an operation can’t run if it isn’t financially viable. So, it’s important for producers to understand what they are paying for when it comes to getting certified with VBP+. We often get asked why the cost of the audit is what it is, and we feel this is a question that many producers might have. As a non-profit, we work on a cost-recovery basis. Just like our producers, our focus is efficiency and minimizing costs. When you get certified with VBP+, you are signing up for five years of certification. While you can pay a ..read more

If you keep up with the VBP+ blog, you might have seen our previous blog post about the development of the VBP+ Producer Portal. In 2020, VBP+ changed their assessment to a system of scoring to be more aligned with the Canadian Roundtable for Sustainable Beef, maintaining the VBP+ equivalency to the CRSB Sustainable Beef Production Standard and associated incentives. But just how do producers use this scoring system? What is the new scoring system? The scoring system is a series of questions that help assess whether an operation is meeting the requirements of the VBP+ standard. For a producer ..read more

Originally printed in the September 2022 issue of Canadian Cattlemen The fall run is not just a busy time of year for auction marts. For cow-calf and feedlot producers, fall is a mad dash of buying and selling. At times like this, it becomes hard to remember some key points related to food safety and animal care that become relevant when shipping calves or other cattle. Luckily, this problem can be easily solved with the help of a shipping record. The VBP+ Shipping Record template is a single checklist that producers can go through when preparing a load of cattle for shipment. By filling out ..read more

Part of the power of the Verified Beef Production Plus (VBP+) program is the simplicity and efficiency of the audit cycle. Combining the on-farm audit, records assessments and self-declarations throughout the five-year audit cycle offers producers the flexibility of participation without a yearly on-farm assessment. At the same time, this system provides assurance that best practices and processes are being maintained on VBP+ certified operations throughout the five-year cycle.   In 2020, VBP+ adjusted our standard to be more fully equivalent with the Canadian Roundtable for Sustain ..read more

VBP+ has been working on some new resources to help make it easier for producers to prepare for certification. The Self-Assessment Field Guide and two new online courses guide a producer though the VBP+ audit criteria to help ensure success. The Self-Assessment Field Guide is a document that is intended to be taken out onto an operation to help a producer understand how they are performing in the areas of assessment for an audit. The guide lists each area assessed during an audit, with the scoring descriptors for each topic. The minimum score is highlighted on each question as either a VBP+ St ..read more

Last year, Farm Credit Canada (FCC) launched an initiative to recognize the efforts of producers certified with the Canadian Roundtable for Sustainable Beef (CRSB).  On May 2, 2023, applications for the program will reopen! FCC will provide a payment to FCC customers who are CRSB certified through one of the CRSB’s certification bodies, including VBP+. So, VBP+ certified producers can take advantage of this opportunity. “FCC is happy to be reopening applications for our sustainability programs. We are in a unique position to work with individual sectors in the agriculture and food industr ..read more

Cargill and the Canadian Roundtable for Sustainable Beef (CRSB) have announced a pilot project offering up to $400 for producers maintaining CRSB certification from 2022 into 2023. Since VBP+ is a delivery agent for CRSB, VBP+ certified operations who agree to information sharing and provide their Canadian Livestock Tracking System (CLTS) information are automatically included in this program. If you have any questions about your opt-out status, please contact VBP+. The intent of the Certification Recognition Credit program is to recognize producers who have made the investment of t ..read more

Getting involved with certification programs and supply chains takes commitment from beef producers. The time, effort, and money required do not go unnoticed, and Verified Beef Production Plus (VBP+) is committed to advocating for producers to receive value back in return for their investment. Producers can get involved with the VBP+ program in two ways. Getting trained allows producers to stay up to date on best management practices supported by current research, Canadian regulations, and modern experience from efficient and profitable ranches. For those seeking further involvement in the pr ..read more

Change is inevitable. But when beef operations make big adjustments, management changes as well. Keeping VBP+ up to date on your operation is key to staying current with the program. While an audit is a great assessment of an operation, it can only capture a snapshot of the operation in time. Record assessments and self-declarations provide regular points for VBP+ to check in with producers and see what has changed, making sure everything is still on the right track. It is important to remember that the VBP+ is a five-year audit cycle. The on-farm audit is an important first assessment, but t ..read more

By now, you’ve likely heard of Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD), a disease known for being extremely contagious and extremely severe. In the news right now, FMD strikes panic in the Canadian beef industry. That’s why it’s key that each and every one of us does our part to prevent the introduction of FMD into our Canadian cattle herd. Fast Facts About FMD Occurs in livestock and wildlife with cloven hooves – cattle, pigs, sheep, goats, bison, elk, deer, wild boars, etc. Many animals recover, but are left in a weak state Found in 77% of the global livestock population – Africa, Middle East, Asia ..read more