Savour Canada at the Calgary Stampede

Story Tips
Key Canadian Ingredients

Canadian Beef
Great on your plate!

Canadian Canola
Prairie gold

Canadian Pork
The Versatile Meat

Canadian Pulses
A Staple Around the World

Canada's Spectacular Seafood
East and West, a Maritime Bounty

Canadian Beef

Great on your plate!

Beef farming has a long tradition across Canada. The West has been home to cowboys and cattle round-ups since the pioneering days of the Wild West, and in the East, many families have been raising cattle on the same land for five or more generations.

With such a history, it's no wonder that Canadians take such enormous pride in their product and in the careful stewardship of their land. The recipe for success is simple: the pefect climate and the finest livestock. Canada's temperate climate allows producers to raise beef breeds based solely on their ability to produce high quality beef. Competitors in warmer climates, however, have to factor in a breeding trait to resist heat, which significantly affects the quality of the product.

Canada is one of the best places in the world to raise beef cattle. Canada's beef industry tends to concentrate in regions with natural feed and land advantages. An AAFC research study of the world's key beef-producing countries found there are few places where growth in the beef industry can take place with as minimal an impact on the environment as in Canada. Canada has abundant natural and tame pasture lands where the irrigation, topsoil loss and deforestation problems experienced in some countries are not a concern.

Canada's beef producers use feeding and finishing methods to provide the taste and appearance preferred by discerning beef-eaters everywhere, and our products are among the safest in the world. Canada's mandatory National Cattle Identification System, animal disease prevention practices and surveillance programs ensure that any potential hazards are minimized. Any problems can be quickly identified and traced to the source for immediate corrective action.

Our national beef grading system is independently verified by an accredited third party, the Canadian Beef Grading Agency (CBGA).  Once certified, beef graders are regularly audited by CBGA and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency.

Canadian ranchers and farmers take pride in caring for their animals and their land. Their practices are underpinned by an industry code of practice that defines standards of care for cattle handling, feeding, housing, and transportation. Consumers of Canadian beef can feel good knowing that it was “raised right.”

Canadian beef is revered around the world for its flavour, high quality and the satisfaction of knowing it was raised responsibly. It is exported to more than 70 markets around the world and in 2009 Canada's exports were valued at more than $1.3 billion.

Canadian Canola

Prairie gold

Canadian canola has been called one of Canada's greatest agricultural success stories. In 2009, Canada exported $5 billion in canola products to over 35 countries around the world, with the United States, Japan, China and Mexico being the largest markets. 

Canola oil has the least saturated fat of all cooking oils, and can help maintain a healthy heart when used in place of saturated fat. It is also free of trans fat and cholesterol, and is a good source of omega-3 fat and vitamin E.

Canola oil has other advantages, too. Its light texture and neutral flavour allow other ingredients to shine, such as in salad dressings and marinades. Canola oil gives baked goods like cakes and breads a soft, moist texture, and its high smoke point makes it ideal for frying and sautéing.

The benefits of canola are far-reaching; not only do the seeds turn out a healthy, high-quality culinary oil, but the meal left after crushing the seeds provides nutritious feed for livestock. Moreover, canola oil can be used in a wide variety of environmentally-friendly products such as bioplastics and biodiesel.

Canola was developed in the 1960s by Canadian plant scientists. Today, it is grown with modern technology and to exacting standards in our clean, natural Canadian environment, guaranteeing that canola products meet the expectations of international consumers and buyers everywhere.

Canadian Pork

The Versatile Meat

When the French and English began settling the land that was to become Canada, pork was one of the staples of their diet. In fact, pigs arrived here almost as soon as the settlers did—in 1598, the Marquis de La Roche-Mesgouez brought some along when he founded his colony on Sable Island.

The Marquis's colony failed, but others succeeded. Before many years had passed, there were pigs in every European settlement up and down the eastern coasts of Canada and along the shores of the St. Lawrence. Other than game, they provided most of the meat in the pioneers' diet, since they were easy to feed and didn't require a lot of care. Salted, smoked or pickled, pork was a vital source of nourishment for the settlers during the long, bitter Canadian winters.

Today, Canada is the world's third-largest pork exporter—sending over $2.6 billion worth of high-quality meat each year to more than 100 countries. The biggest three customers are Japan, the United States and Australia.

It's little wonder that Canadian pork is so popular—Canada has a long tradition of producing it and ensuring its quality, safety and taste. In fact, its concern for the excellence of pork is as old as the country itself; when Canada became a nation in 1867, one of the first acts of the new Parliament was to establish high standards for animal health and welfare. Add to this tradition Canada's clean, natural environment that's ideal for raising pork, plus a meticulous attention to food safety, and you have a recipe for pork that's dependable and nutritious.

Canadian pork is extremely lean, and it provides many of the nutrients necessary to a well-balanced diet. It's not only an excellent source of protein, but also contains thiamine, B vitamins and essential minerals such as iron and zinc. It comes in a wide variety of cuts that make it endlessly versatile, which is why Canadian pork can be a perfect centrepiece for any meal. It's not surprising that Canadian pork is in such high demand and is found in so many countries. Look for it in yours!

Canadian Pulses

A Staple Around the World

Canada's clean, natural landscape and crisp, cold climate are ideal for producing top-quality pulses—lentils, peas, beans and chickpeas. So it's no wonder that Canada is a world leader in pulse production and export sales and the number one exporter of lentils and peas. In 2009, pulse exports of more than 4.1 million tonnes set a record for both production and dollar value ($2.2 billion).

Pulses require less energy to grow and produce fewer greenhouse gases than most other crops. As a protein source, they have one of the lowest overall impacts on the environment. They are drought resistant and are well suited to the rich, fertile soils of the Canadian Prairies, where sharp seasonal changes offer excellent protection against insects and disease.

Pulses are a traditional staple of many diets around the world and are now gaining ground as ingredients in a wide variety of food products such as baked goods, baking mixes, soup mixes, breakfast cereals, processed meats, health foods, pastas and purees.

Nutritionally, pulses are an excellent choice because they're high in protein, fibre and complex carbohydrates, low in fat and sodium, and are good sources of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.

Affordable and healthy, this versatile crop has become an essential dietary staple for people all over the globe. Count on Canada to supply the best!

Canada's Spectacular Seafood

East and West, a Maritime Bounty

For hundreds of years, small boats have sailed from Canada's Atlantic ports and returned with holds full of lobster and salmon, while the Pacific salmon fishery has always been vital to the First Nations peoples of British Columbia. A mainstay of communities on both eastern and western coasts, this fishing tradition has a rich heritage for all Canadians.

Canadian lobster

At dawn on a cold November morning, a lobster boat chugs seaward from a harbour on Nova Scotia's South Shore. It's the beginning of the lobster season on this part of the Atlantic coast, and the boat's crew will spend the day laying out their traps and marking them with brightly painted buoys.

Before long, the traps will contain dozens of Canadian hardshell lobster, the king of seafood, many of which will be sold abroad—in 2009, Canada exported over $800 million worth of this delicacy.

Canadian lobster is available live, frozen whole, as lobster tails, as lobster meat and in several other forms. Prepared hot, it's superb in casseroles, bisques, omelettes, soufflés, quiches and crêpes. It adds elegance to salads, hors d'oeuvres and lobster rolls. And as any seafood gourmet will tell you, a Canadian lobster, steamed and served with drawn butter, is a dish to remember.

Because Canada's lobster fishery is so valuable, special care is taken to keep it sustainable.

Lobsters are caught when they're at peak quality and processed with the most advanced technology available, so they always taste as if they just came out of the water.

Canadian salmon

Flashing in the sun as it leaps a three-metre waterfall, the salmon has become a symbol of natural bounty. These great fish were a staple of Canada's First Nations, who smoked or dried great quantities of the catch to sustain them though Canada's long, harsh winters.

Canadian salmon—Sockeye, Coho, Chum, Pink, Atlantic and Chinook—are both farmed and caught wild, and in 2009, Canada exported more than $600 million worth of these superb fish. Fresh, frozen, smoked or canned in modern plants that use the most exacting standards of quality, they're a cornerstone of the country's seafood industry and a favourite of fish lovers everywhere. For an unforgettable meal, you can grill Canadian salmon steaks and drizzle them with lemon, or glaze a salmon roast with ginger. Or, for a quick and delicious lunch, simply braise canned wild salmon with fennel and serve with fresh, crusty bread.

So the next time you're in the mood for some tasty lobster or salmon, look for the Canada brand. You won't be disappointed!