Easter Beef show cancelled but Islanders still keen to buy local

Cattle farmers on P.E.I. were disappointed by the decision to cancel the Easter Beef show because of the COVID-19 pandemic last month, but some are still finding markets for their prize steers.

James Worth, Easter Beef vice president, said it was a difficult decision to cancel. At the time, he said, events were moving quickly.

"We didn't have time to get everything together," he said.

The decision was a disappointment for Worth not just because of his own responsibility to put the show on. He is also a competitor, and had put in hours over the winter preparing one of his steers to show.

"You have to teach it to walk and keep it quiet enough around people," he said.

Some people use a radio to simulate the crowd in the arena. Others will bring a lot of different people through the barn.

An unexpected response

Colby MacQuarrie is a long-time Easter Beef competitor.

In past years he has relied on the show to sell his best steers. This year he had to find another way. He put a post on Facebook looking for buyers, and the response was quick.

"It was great. I wasn't really expecting it to be honest, with everything going on," said MacQuarrie.

"I think they want to support local with everything going on as well, and help everybody out."

He had six animals to sell, and they're all gone.

Charitable reaction

Worth took a different approach.

He called the Superstore in Charlottetown and asked if they'd like to buy a steer. They did.

"Then they went and donated that to the food bank for people having a little harder time making ends meet during the COVID-19 situation," he said.

The Charlottetown Superstore is not the only company feeling charitable over Easter Beef.

Atlantic Beef Products will make a $ 3,000 donation to Easter Seals on behalf of Easter Beef, which is what the event normally would have raised for Easter Seals.

Coop Country Stores in partnership with Sollio Agriculture have also put up $3,000, with $1,600 going to 4-H and $1,400 to Easter Seals.

The provincial Department of Agriculture has announced a $20,500 program to support farmers feeling the financial impact of the cancellation of the show.

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