What is VBP+

• Verified Beef Production Plus (VBP+) is a voluntary, market-oriented, producer managed forward-looking program enabling Canada's beef industry to anticipate and meet emerging and growing demands for beef production systems throughout the Canadian beef value chain.
• VBP+ is the next evolution of the Canadian beef industry's long-standing on-farm food safety program (formerly Verified Beef Production or VBP). The beef industry’s HACCP based program, VBP was developed by industry in 2004 to validate responsible on-farm practices. The VBP initiative itself grew from the Quality Starts Here program, an educational initiative started by the Canadian Cattlemen’s Association (CCA).
• VBP expansion began in 2013 to meet growing consumer demands for transparent, accountable, and sustainable beef production. VBP+, launched in June 2016, which includes training and auditing for animal care, biosecurity and environmental stewardship along with on-farm food safety practices at the farm, ranch and feedlot levels.
• VBP+ links the on-farm recording and auditing of animal care, biosecurity and environmental stewardship practices with the established Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) reviewed on-farm food safety (VBP) program.
• VBP+ is aligned with the national Code of Practice for the Care and Handling of Beef Cattle, the Canadian Beef Cattle On-Farm Biosecurity Standard, and the sustainability indicator work of the Canadian Roundtable for Sustainable Beef (CRSB) to ensure sound animal care, biosecurity and environment principles and practices.
• VBP+ enables beef cattle producers to publicly demonstrate their commitment to responsible stewardship of both cattle and the environment.
• The VBP+ program has demonstrable and credible threshold levels producers must achieve to become, and maintain, registered status on the program. This progressive, audited program promotes continual improvements at the beef farm, ranch and feedlot level.
• The level of transparency VBP+ offers on a range of key production practices provides retailers and consumers with the knowledge and confidence that the beef they purchase is from a healthy animal raised with appropriate oversight and care on the beef farm, ranch or feedlot. This transparency makes sustainable beef production meaningful to consumers and contributes to demand for Canadian beef in both domestic and international markets.
• VBP+ is now a Certification Body for the CRSB Certified Sustainable Beef Framework and can provide certification and assurance services on behalf of CRSB to assess beef farms and ranches to the Sustainable Beef Production Standard.
• Certified VBP+ beef operations in active status are recognized as Certified under the CRSB Certified Sustainable Beef Framework and can participate in certified sustainable beef value chains.
• VBP+ is delivered across all provinces with strong national coordination and management under the Canadian Cattlemen’s Association umbrella.
• Producers participating in VBP+ will continue to enhance the Canadian Beef Advantage, demonstrating that Canadian beef products are high quality and safe, and are produced in systems prioritizing animal care and the environment.
• The Beef Cattle Research Council operates VBP+. Funds to develop and deliver VBP+ are provided through the Canadian Beef Cattle Check-off and Agriculture Canada's AgriMarketing Program - Assurance Systems Stream of Growing Forward 2.