Author: Emma Cross

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 Sustainable Beef (CRSB) Beef Production indicators. Throughout this process, VBP+ continued our alignment with the National Farm Animal Care Council (NFACC) Animal Care Assessment Framework and more completely integrated the National Beef Biosecurity Standard, while maintaining our commitment to meeting On-Farm Food Safety standards. Part of the adjustment to more robust equivalency with CRSB was a shift to a scoring system for each question associated with an audit or annual assessment. Obtaining a score for each question in the standard not only captures the continuous improvement realized on beef operations in Canada, but also aligns with the CRSB scoring system, enabling better reporting on metrics important to stakeholders and members of the CRSB.  

This system, along with the introduction of the VBP+ electronic audit tool has been utilized in all VBP+ certifications since 2020, but to maintain consistency for existing certified operations, our records assessments and self-declarations were still based on the previous standard. Not anymore! In July of 2023, VBP+ rolled out Phase 2. This phase consists of a re-designed records assessment and self-declaration as well as a producer portal to make it easier for producers to submit their renewals.  

What’s different is that the questions asked on a records assessment are now a reflection of the new VBP+ standard and include a self-scoring component. We will get more in-depth on how producers can score themselves in a future article, but in a nutshell, producers are asked to score the question as they themselves see the practices they implement on their operations. There is an information button beside each of the questions to guide the producer, as well as buttons to attach documentation for resolution of Critical Control Point (CCP) questions.  The form, as well as the portal itself, also include helpful resource materials and contacts producers can call or email to help guide them through the new process, as well as mechanisms to provide feedback to VBP+. 

Planning of the next phase of the rollout is underway and is expected to include a producer key performance indicator (KPI) report, similar to the KPI report sent to producers upon the completion of an on-farm audit that can provide feedback to producers in all areas of the standard.  

VBP+, as a program, continually strives to deliver its education and certification activities in the most efficient way possible for the producers it represents as well as meet the goals and expectations of end-users and stakeholders.  

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 the records assessments and self-declarations are in themselves annual assessments as well as important points to update information. Five years is a long time, it is very possible producers are making operational decisions that make sense during those five years.

Sometimes beef producers make big changes that have equally big impacts on management practices. VBP+ needs your help to know when those changes are made so we can continue to help you be as efficient, accurate, and sustainable as you can be.

One of the biggest changes an operation can make is adding or removing enterprises. As producers know, managing a cow-calf operation is drastically different than a feedlot. Deciding to background or finish your own calves adds additional complexity to your operation, particularly the aspects of management that are highlighted in the VBP+ standard.

Changing enterprises also means changing audit level. The table below outlines the three types of audit that VBP+ offers, which are defined by the production phases that the operation is involved in.

With more production phases involved in an operation, more time is required by auditors and staff to review records, management practices, and documentation. Therefore, the annual cost of an audit is higher for a more complex audit level. However, by offering a combined audit at a slightly higher cost, the producer does not have to perform the same paperwork, audit, and other tasks for each enterprise they are involved in.

An ideal time to inform the renewals team of a change is when submitting the annual information update. However, if a major change is occurring outside the time frame of your annual renewal event, notifying the VBP+ renewals team as early as possible is the best practice. Ideally, a producer will reach out before a change actually occurs. Advance notice will let the VBP+ team reflect these changes to both maximize potential qualification and minimize disruption to any incentive programming as soon as possible. For renewals team contact information, go to the Contact Us page on our website and scroll down to VBP+ Delivery Services Inc.

Whether informing the renewals team of a change before or after it occurs, producers should provide a brief summary of what the change is. Key details could include major changes in the number of head managed, added or removed enterprises, and additional facilities. After this initial conversation, the renewals team will send the producer an operation change form to gather more details that will inform the next steps.

The required actions following a major change on a certified operation are handled on a case-by-case basis. For example, a producer deciding to finish their own calves using the same facilities and staff will require different actions than a producer purchasing a new facility, designing a new management system, and hiring new staff to finish their own calves. Follow-up actions can range from an enhanced record assessment, a trigger of an on-farm audit, and a brand-new certification starting a new five-year audit cycle.

Above all, VBP+ wants to help producers take advantage of the benefits to certification. Keeping the renewals team up to date on major changes to your operation will ensure that they can keep you accurate and current on your certification status, maintaining your access to program benefits.

One of the exciting new elements of the Canadian Cattle Learning Centre is the redesigned online VBP+ training modules. However, this new platform isn’t just for new members of the VBP+ program.

Most obviously, training evolves with the changing Canadian beef industry. Certified producers who enroll in the Canadian Cattle Learning Centre can review the new VBP+ training modules to see what has been updated to reflect changes since they took the training. Additionally, operations that seek out additional training outside of the VBP+ program can upload these experiences to their transcript to demonstrate commitment to continuous improvement.

In addition, no one’s memory is perfect! An enrolment fee of $50 secures access to the Canadian Cattle Learning Centre for five years, letting producers come back to the training modules as much as they’d like to review concepts and program requirements. The new training also features self-assessments throughout to help producers track their progress towards meeting all standards. This tool can help certified producers reassess their operations to make sure they are still meeting requirements throughout the five-year audit cycle, particularly before records assessments and self declarations.

The Canadian Cattle Learning Centre is far from complete. In the future, VBP+ will continue to develop and add new training opportunities to the platform, providing centralized access to a variety of learning. A module focusing on the pre-certification process to help prepare new producers and operations seeking re-certification is currently in the works.

Most importantly, the Canadian Cattle Learning Centre has relevance in the big picture of the Canadian beef industry. The Canadian Beef Advisors released a set of nationally framed goals for the industry, which focus on securing environmental, social, and economic security into the future. Many of these goals are targeted at maintaining public trust in the Canadian beef industry.

VBP+ producers already demonstrate commitment to sustainable beef production by meeting program requirements. However, industry advocates need a way to show tangible evidence of the good work of Canadian beef producers to policymakers, consumers, and other stakeholders. Training rates on the Canadian Cattle Learning Centre, as well as producer transcripts, will provide simple metrics to communicate the dedication of Canadian beef producers to continuous improvement as the industry evolves in response to consumer demands.

In general, the Canadian Cattle Learning Centre is a win-win-win situation. Producers gain an easy to access, engaging platform for training and a simple way to track their industry-related education. Industry advocates acquire a simple method for communicating the good work that Canadian farmers and ranchers are already doing. Finally, other stakeholders outside of the industry, including consumers, gain confidence in the safety and sustainability of the Canadian beef on their plates.

To register for the Canadian Cattle Learning Centre, click here.

To learn more about the Canadian Cattle Learning Centre and how to sign up, see the last VBP+ blog post.

Canadian beef producers are always keen to make their operations the best they can be. However, taking time away from the farm to seek out learning opportunities is rarely easy. Luckily, VBP+ has launched the Canadian Cattle Learning Centre to make it easy for ranchers to improve their operations from the comfort of their own homes.

The Canadian Cattle Learning Centre houses the brand new eleven online training modules for the VBP+ program. Producers can take the training at their own pace as they navigate through content which has been refreshed to be more engaging and relevant to the modern industry. The modules include graphics, animations, links to key resources, and interactive activities to make training more effective and more fun!

One of the key features of the new online training is the self-assessment tool. Throughout each module, trainees are presented with questions to reflect on how their operation is doing in relation to key VBP+ program requirements. While responses are not evaluated by auditors, producers can view and print their results to assess their progress towards meeting all requirements for a successful audit.

As well as the VBP+ training modules, producers can also upload other training that they have completed outside of the VBP+ program. The Canadian Cattle Learning Centre compiles these opportunities into a transcript, allowing producers to demonstrate their commitment to continuous improvement on their operations through education. In the future, VBP+ is looking to create additional content to provide more training opportunities directly through the Canadian Cattle Learning Centre.

How to Sign Up

To register for the Canadian Cattle Learning Centre, click here. Follow the sign-up process below:

1. Hit Log In at the top right corner, then choose Sign Up at the bottom of the pop up menu.
2. Enter your personal information and click Sign Up.
3. Enroll in the course Subscription 2022 and pay the $50 enrolment fee for five years of access.
4. Enroll in the VBP+ 2.0 course to take the online training.

To take the entire course one module at a time, please select the individual modules/lessons. While completing individual modules provides the complete training and includes self-assessments for each module, there is no self-assessment summary provided at the end of each module.

Need Help?

If you have questions about the Canadian Cattle Learning Centre or the new online training, please reach out to your provincial coordinator. These individuals are there to help guide you through the VBP+ program every step of the way and help you achieve success in training and/or certification.

To find the contact information for your provincial coordinator, click here.