Issues & Insights

The Western Canadian Animal Health Network (WeCAHN) recently held the third quarterly meeting of the beef network discussing animal health events and data from the beef sector during the period October-December 2020. Highlights included an update on the investigation into the Anaplasmosis outbreak in Manitoba last fall, as well as recent Bovine Leucosis Virus testing….

Ducks Unlimited Canada, McDonald’s Canada and Cargill support expansion of Canadian grazing land and forages to help combat impacts of climate change and protect wildlife. Beef farmers and ranchers play an important role in providing quality food, but few people know they also play an essential role in protecting Canada’s land, water and wildlife. With…

Jill Harvie has a passion for the restaurant industry. Her podcast “Food Careers by Bright Pasture” highlights the people who move food from pasture to plate. She’s an outspoken advocate on behalf of the Canadian beef industry, knocking down silos between producers and customers. In a recent episode, Jill spoke with Marcel Blais, President of…

Today the Hon. Marie-Claude Bibeau, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, announced $185 million for the Agricultural Climate Solutions program which includes the Living Laboratories initiative. This program is intended to assist the Government of Canada in achieving its greenhouse gas emissions reductions targets. Canada’s beef industry is well positioned to be a partner in reaching…

Canadian Cattlemen by Piper Whelan When Bob Lowe was elected president of the Canadian Cattlemen’s Association (CCA) in March 2020, he couldn’t have anticipated everything the year ahead had in store. Mere days after CCA’s annual general meeting, Canada was in lockdown due to the pandemic, changing the trajectory of everyone’s year and presenting numerous…

Olds College is currently conducting research on yardage costs in feedlots and other cattle operations. They are looking for producers to participate in this 10-minute survey. Olds College is also conducting a research study on preconditioning practices and are looking for producers to participate in the following survey. The University of Saskatchewan is looking to…

The Western Producer by Barb Glen Consumers paid more for beef, processors and retailers increased their profits and feedlot owners lost millions in 2020 because of COVID-19. A paper published through the University of Calgary’s School of Public Policy, written by project co-ordinator Karen Spencer, indicates feedlots lost an estimated $379 million in gross revenues…

The Government of Alberta has announced plans for public engagement on coal policy development. The government webpage states that they have heard concern’s regarding their approach to coal development and Albertans will have the opportunity provide input. Public consultations are set to begin on March 29. Those interested in providing feedback on the government’s long-term…

Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit Climate science is clear that to a close approximation, the eventual extent of global warming is proportional to the total amount of carbon dioxide that human activities add to the atmosphere. So, in order to stabilise climate change, CO2 emissions need to fall to zero. The longer it takes to do so, the…

The Canadian Cattlemen’s Association (CCA) is helping to lead the conversation and improve consumer confidence in the cattle industry. Burger King™ Back on Track In July 2020, Burger King™ launched a campaign announcing an open-source solution to methane emissions from cows. Unfortunately, the video focused on bovine flatulence instead of belching. CCA’s Public and Stakeholder…