2023 Annual Report: Message from the Chair

This message was originally posted in Alberta Beef Producers’ 2023 Annual Report. You can find the PDF of the report here.

As I look over this past year, and my first seven months as Chair, it’s hard to know where to
start. Writing from the Southeast Zone, I am distinctly aware of the challenges this past year
has thrown at the province – from compounding years of drought and extreme weather events
to unprecedented wildfires this spring. Yet, I see optimism in the demand and value of our
product, enhanced multi-stakeholder collaborations, and a strong unified voice representing
the Alberta beef industry.

On business risk management (BRM), ABP, together with the Government of Alberta, and Agriculture Financial Services Corporation (AFSC), continues to explore potential augmentations to available programs. BRM programming needs to be timely, consistent, and reliable, with all segments of the cattle industry being adequately supported. Part of that discussion includes making AgriStability more relevant to livestock producers, specifically the cow-calf sector. For example, relatively simple changes to eligible expenses and changing how feed is assessed year-to-year could go a long way in more adequately and equitably supporting the cow-calf sector.

Finding the best path forward requires open dialogue. Over my time on ABP’s Board of Directors, we have had hard conversations. But through them, we found important and significant ways to decrease costs and increase efficiencies – from simple solutions like office downsizing to transparent check-off funding discussions and most importantly enhance relationships and collaboration within the industry. One of the changes we made through discussions with Canadian Cattle Association (CCA) and provincial producer groups was to redirect funding to CCA based on retained dollars, rather than assessed marketing’s. The result was a collaboratively developed ABP-CCA three-year funding agreement, which was approved by CCA board members in March. This agreement allows Alberta cattle producers to sufficiently fund CCA’s annual budget while ensuring adequate provincial funding for the continued improvement of both organizations.

The change allowed this year’s budget to accurately reflect ABP’s provincial funding achievements. You’ll see some of those changes in the financial section, and the resulting opportunities in the reports from ABP staff that follow. We are on the verge of a drastic shift in our industry’s makeup. The average age of producers continues to increase, with many operations making difficult decisions to mitigate recent severe weather events and plan for the future. Change is inevitable but with change, comes opportunity. As this transition occurs it is critical to ensure our industry’s voice is strong and offers opportunity to the next generation of cattle producers.

Over the next year, we will be exploring ABP’s potential and the future direction of the commission with Alberta’s cattle producers. Starting this fall at a series of engagement sessions, we will look closely at what makes ABP relevant and accountable, and what a fully funded industry could achieve. To do that, we need the cattle community to come together. We need you to share your vision for the organization, and the industry. ABP is producer-led and producer-driven, and as producers, it is our responsibility to offer feedback, solutions, to be engaged, and to continue to drive the industry forward.

I look forward to seeing you at the upcoming Engagement Sessions, Producer Meetings, and Annual General Meeting.

– Brodie Haugan, ABP Chair