OTTAWA, ONTARIO – Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada announced the application deadline for the initial phase of the Abattoir Competitiveness Program is being extended to Aug. 27 to allow eligible recipients more time to take advantage of the program.

Federally, provincially and territorially inspected cattle-slaughter facilities that slaughtered over 30-month-old (O.T.M.) cattle in Canada during 2009 and 2010 calendar years will be eligible for support based on their 2010 production of specified risk materials (S.R.M.) from O.T.M. cattle in Canada. An application is required for each payment period (“initial” and “final”). Applicants who do not apply for an initial payment may apply for the final payment, but on the basis of their production of S.R.M. from O.T.M. cattle during the final payment period only.


The program, announced on July 5, is making $25 million available to help Canadian cattle slaughterhouses maintain critical slaughter capacity in Canada for O.T.M. cattle while the industry undertakes efforts to become more innovative and competitive when dealing with S.R.M.