Trailblazers

Nestled in the rolling hills of Alberta’s Eastern Slopes, Plateau Cattle Co. has long been more than just a ranch — it’s a living example of how care for the land, cattle, and community can create lasting impact. Now, those efforts have earned the operation the 2025 Environmental Stewardship Award (ESA) from Alberta Beef Producers….

On the Alberta-Montana border, set above the surrounding plains, is a unique expanse of glacial-formed prairie grasslands. Known as the Milk River Ridge, the area features rolling fescue hills, with pockets of wetlands that provide critical habitat to many sensitive and at-risk species of wildlife.   On the northern slope of the ridge, west of…

Harwinder Sidhu, the new Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) winter wheat breeder, didn’t always plan to become a plant breeder. It wasn’t a straightforward path to plant breeding for Harwinder Sidhu. He started in his home country of India studying agricultural sciences for his undergraduate degree with a focus on soil science. From there Sidhu…

A decade ago, the craft beer industry in Alberta took off. With major policy changes to minimum production capacities in the mid 2010s, smaller craft breweries tripled in just a few years. As brewing increased in Alberta, so did the hops, grain, and barley farmers – disrupting the province’s agriculture industry and growing a base…

Rodeo’s roots are firmly planted in ranching tradition, and the connection remains strong today among many of the sport’s top competitors. In fact, for rancher Scott Guenthner, the current Canadian Steer Wrestling Champion, the pull of life at home led him to choose a rodeo route limited to only Canadian events. While that still involves…

By Ross Hecox for the National Ranching Heritage Center, Texas Tech University Uncomfortable silence fell across the room as Minnie Lou Ottinger and Rusty Bradley stared at each other across the dining table.  Although it has been 71 years since that moment, Minnie Lou still vividly remembers how the Bradley family and several seasoned cowboys…