Ready for fall with VBP+

It was a pretty quiet summer on the VBP+ schedule, as most of our events take place during the shorter days of winter when more producers are available.

That being said, the Cypress Farm and Ranch Show in Medicine Hat was a productive and well-attended trade show. The show has only been around for two years, but it is shaping up to be a great and well-timed event for the region. Cattle producers from all over southeastern Alberta and southwestern Saskatchewan came out to see what was on offer and, more importantly, to visit and talk about the cattle business.

Midsummer took us to Calgary for the ABP Summit at the Sam Centre during the Calgary Stampede. Once again, it was a great opportunity to have conversations with producers and hear what is happening across the industry. Through the fall, you’ll be able to find the VBP+ booth and me at events such as the Olds Fall Classic, Alberta Hereford Showcase, ABP Producer Meetings, Farmfair International, and the Western Canadian Conference on Soil Health and Grazing.

In the meantime, everyone will be looking forward to fall work, cows coming home, weaning, shipping, stocking, preg checking, and everything else that colder weather brings to mind. It is a busy time of year, but it can also be a good time to look around the farm or ranch and think about what could make next year a little easier.

One thing that can sometimes be overlooked during a long and productive summer is the handling equipment we have at home. VBP+ is still running the SCAP incentive, with a focus on animal care and biosecurity. Matching funds of up to $2,500 are available to trained individuals, with up to $5,000 available to certified operations. We have also recently opened applications to secondary operations certified under a primary operation.

These funds can be used for a wide range of projects around the farm or ranch. Projects could include improving handling systems with new chutes, squeezes, or alleyways, protecting feed and water systems with freestanding panels, or investing in herd management hardware and software such as tag readers and herd management programs.

The application process is simple and straightforward, so don’t miss the chance to put some of those improvement ideas to work. If you have been thinking about upgrading equipment, improving biosecurity, or making animal handling safer and more efficient, now is a good time to start the conversation before winter gets too busy.

If you’re interested in the SCAP incentive or want to find out if a project qualifies, reach out to abgrant@verifiedbeef.ca or calep@albertabeef.org. We’re always happy to have a conversation and help producers figure out where VBP+ can fit into their operation.

This was first published in Volume 6 Issue 3 of ABP Magazine (September 2026). Watch for more digital content from the magazine on ABP Daily