Summit highlights productive Stampede for ABP

“Alberta has the best beef in the world. We have so much to be proud of here in Alberta.”

The Calgary Stampede once again provided Alberta Beef Producers (ABP) with an opportunity to strengthen relationships and showcase Alberta’s beef industry while advancing conversations about trade, innovation, environmental stewardship and the future of cattle production.

The centrepiece of the week was the fifth annual Alberta Beef Industry Stampede Summit, led by Alberta Beef Producers with co-hosts Alberta Auction Markets Association, Alberta Cattle Feeders’ Association, Alberta Grazing Leaseholders Association, Alberta Veterinary Medical Association, Canadian Cattle Association, Farm Animal Care Association and the Western Stock Growers’ Association.

Held at the Sam Centre, the Summit brought together producers, industry representatives, government officials and international guests to connect, celebrate Alberta’s beef industry and hear perspectives on the opportunities and challenges ahead.

Premier Smith among guest speakers

Premier Danielle Smith joined federal Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food Heath MacDonald, Alberta Minister of Agriculture and Irrigation Tara Sawyer, Alberta Minister of Affordability and Utilities RJ Sigurdson, Canadian Cattle Association President Tyler Fulton and ABP Chair Doug Roxburgh in addressing producers, industry partners and guests.

Opening the Summit, Roxburgh reflected on what the event has come to mean for the industry: “Now in its fifth year, the Alberta Beef Industry Stampede Summit is an opportunity to come together and celebrate the cattle industry and the people who make it possible. Strong relationships have always been at the heart of the cattle business — they are the foundation of our industry, our trade, and our ability to tackle challenges together.”

CCA President Tyler Fulton echoed that sentiment, pointing to a strong year for the industry with favourable prices and weather, and touched on trade, risk management, food security and animal health before introducing MacDonald.

MacDonald spoke to the value of collaboration, citing his working relationships with Sigurdson and Sawyer, and pointed to the federal government’s new food security strategy — a multi-billion-dollar investment he called the largest of its kind in the department’s history — along with continued trade and market access work with the U.S.

Passing the baton from Sigurdson to Sawyer

Minister Sigurdson, reflecting on his time serving Alberta’s agriculture sector, thanked producers for their partnership: “I want to say this, and I will continue to say this the rest of my life: Alberta has the best beef in the world. I want to thank each and every one of you for the relationships built and the work that we did together, working collaboratively to build a stronger beef industry. We have so much to be proud of here in Alberta.”

Minister Sawyer, newly appointed to the Agriculture and Irrigation portfolio, highlighted the scale of Alberta’s beef sector — nearly 4.9 million head of cattle, roughly half of Canada’s herd, and the province’s top agri-food export at approximately $4 billion in 2025. “Alberta beef has a global reputation for quality, safety and excellence,” she said, crediting the province’s producers, processors and innovators.

Premier Smith delivered the Summit’s closing address, underscoring the importance of an integrated North American beef industry, encouraging the visiting U.S. delegation to keep strengthening ties between the two countries’ cattle sectors.

“Alberta is a major contributor to a strong and secure North American agri-food sector,” she said, pointing to the billions of dollars in annual beef trade between the two countries and the values they share as neighbours.

She noted she planned to carry that message to U.S. Ambassador to Canada Pete Hoekstra in a meeting later that day, and encouraged the US guests to “take your experiences back home and help everybody to understand our industry and our incredible integration,” adding that both countries stand to gain from a stable, long-term trade relationship.

Cross-border ties and innovation strength

In attendance at Summit were U.S. beef industry guests, welcomed as part of ABP’s Cross-Border Livestock Talks initiative and Stampede activities, including representatives from Colorado, Iowa, Montana, Nevada, North Dakota, Utah and Wyoming.

Their visit throughout Stampede focused on strengthening relationships across North America’s beef industry, joining ABP at key events and participating in tours including a visit to Olds College of Agriculture & Technology. The visit reinforced collaboration on shared priorities like trade, animal health and innovation.

Walton family honoured

A key Summit highlight was the presentation of the 2026 Environmental Stewardship Award to the Walton family of Walton Land & Cattle. The family has ranched the same land for 115 years — native and regressed pastures, wildlife-friendly grazing systems and calm, well-managed herds reflecting generations of stewardship. (Read more about this year’s Environmental Stewardship Award recipients here.)

Thank You 

Thank you to everyone who made this year’s Summit and the week’s events a success — industry partners, speakers, volunteers, government representatives, international guests, and all who attended.

Alberta’s beef industry continues to be strengthened by the relationships that bring producers and industry leaders together, at home and across North America.