CANADA-CATTLE BUYING SCAM.
Police are investigating a Markdale based beef marketing business launched less than a year ago promising to fetch local producers hundreds of dollars more than regular market value for cattle raised on "an all-natural diet."
Grey County OPP received a complaint against All County Feed & Grain Ltd. two weeks ago and now have an officer from the crime unit investigating the business and owner/operator Darryl Williams.
"We did receive a complaint and we are conducting an investigation. Because it’s ongoing that’s about all we can say right now," Const. Steve Starr said Monday.
"Someone from our crime unit with expertise in the area of the complaint is looking into it further."
Williams and his former business partner Mark Kuglin also ran Grey- Bruce Beef Marketing Ltd., which started in April 2008 with plans to sell local beef to Ontario stores, restaurants and food services providers.
Williams did not return phone calls Monday, but Kuglin did.
"If there’s a police investigation into it that’s fine, the producers have every right to do that," he said.
Kuglin alleges Williams closed all of the accounts at both companies.
"I’m not aware of the police action . . . I tell the truth about what I know -- I feel terrible, just sick, that this has happened."
According to a recent online Better Farming article, Williams was promising beef producers as much as $2,000 for a steer that would sell for less than $1,400 in regular markets. The catch was the cattle had to be on "an all-natural diet," meaning they were free of antibiotics and growth hormones and predominantly fed grain. Close to two dozen producers took Williams up on the venture by late May 2008.
Williams told the Toronto Star in July that he had secured a contract to supply 100,000 hamburgers from 85 animals to three Ottawa music festivals, a lucrative deal signed just two months after opening.
The problems, according to Kuglin, started shortly thereafter when the festival organizers allegedly didn’t pay in full.
By September 2008, Williams had his provincial cattle dealing licence revoked for failing to pay producers, according to an Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs spokeswoman.
"I can’t comment on whether or not we’re investigating this situation," Elizabeth McClung said Monday.
"We are aware of the situation and producers’ claims are being filed with the Beef Cattle Financial Protection Program."
