AgriClear Announces Collaboration with Verified Beef Production Plus (VBP+)

New relationship will promote VBP+ Canadian cattle via web-based platform

April 5, 2017 (CALGARY) - AgriClear, North America's premier online transaction and payment platform for cattle buyers and sellers, today announced it is entering into a collaborative marketing agreement with Verified Beef Production Plus (VBP+), a national, industry-led program providing verification of Canadian beef production practices at the farm, ranch and feedlot.

Formerly Verified Beef Production, VBP+ is delivered nationally under the umbrella of the Canadian Cattlemen's Association and the Beef Cattle Research Council. Validating production practices for animal care, biosecurity, the environment and food safety at the primary production level enables registered VBP+ operations to publicly demonstrate their commitment to responsible stewardship of both cattle and resources. Under the terms of this agreement, AgriClear will include VBP+ registered users on its online platform and VBP+ will promote the AgriClear livestock platform and settlement services to beef cattle producers across Canada. AgriClear and VBP+ have also agreed to work together on marketing initiatives.

"This new agreement connects us to a progressive, innovative industry leader as we continue our efforts to enhance the profile of AgriClear's brand and value proposition throughout the Canadian cattle industry," said David Moss, Vice President and Co-Founder, AgriClear. "We are proud to join forces with VBP+ and to play a role in advancing their important program for advocating sustainable beef production, while also delivering the benefits of our unique transactional platform to their membership."

"By collaborating with AgriClear we are finding new ways to help VBP+ registered operations enhance their market efforts and extend the reach of their cattle marketing programs," said Cecilie Fleming, Alberta rancher and Chair, VBP+ Management Committee. "Adding an AgriClear cattle listing link to our new, national website enhances our registered operations by showcasing VBP+ attributes of marketed cattle in Canada."

VBP+ has committed to aligning with the indicator and verification work of the Canadian Roundtable for Sustainable Beef, a multi-stakeholder initiative focused on advancing sustainability in the Canadian beef industry, of which AgriClear is a member. VBP+ was also involved in the McDonald's Sustainable Beef Pilot Project.

To learn more about cattle marketing on your terms, visit www.agriclear.com and follow AgriClear on Twitter: @AgriClear

To learn more about VBP+, visit www.verifiedbeefproductionplus.com

About Verified Beef Production Plus (VBP+)

VBP+ is a producer-led, forward-looking program focused on enabling industry to anticipate and meet emerging and growing demands for beef production systems throughout the Canadian beef value chain.

VBP+ links on-farm record keeping and auditing of animal care, biosecurity and environmental stewardship practices with the long-standing on-farm food safety VBP program to help meet demands for sustainable beef production at the farm, ranch and feedlot.

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.

Through this program depth VBP+ provides the transparency required to make sustainable beef production meaningful to consumers and contribute to demand for Canadian beef in both domestic and international markets.

About AgriClear and TMX Group (TSX:X)

AgriClear's unique platform offers cattle buyers and sellers the highest level of security and assurance. Through a partnership with TMX Group and NGX, a wholly-owned subsidiary of TMX Group, AgriClear leverages a wide range of knowledge and expertise. Backed by the financial support and clearing expertise of these two entities, clients are assured of receiving payment for delivered cattle and receiving cattle as negotiated.

TMX Group's key subsidiaries operate cash and derivative markets and clearinghouses for multiple asset classes including equities, fixed income and energy. Toronto Stock Exchange, TSX Venture Exchange, TSX Alpha Exchange, The Canadian Depository for Securities, Montréal Exchange, Canadian Derivatives Clearing Corporation, NGX, Shorcan, Shorcan Energy Brokers, AgriClear and other TMX Group companies provide listing markets, trading markets, clearing facilities, depository services, data products and other services to the global financial community. TMX Group is headquartered in Toronto and operates offices across Canada (Montréal, Calgary and Vancouver), in key U.S. markets (New York, Houston) as well as in London, Beijing and Singapore. For more information about TMX Group, visit our website at www.tmx.com. Follow TMX Group on Twitter: @TMXGroup.

For more information please contact:

Shane Quinn
Senior Manager, Communications & Public Affairs
TMX Group
416-947-4609
shane.quinn@tmx.com 

Tracy Herbert
Extension and Communications Director
Verified Beef Production
306-850-5026
herbertt@beefresearch.ca