A robust and effective traceability system finds a balance in technical reporting and practicality.  Traceability is the ability to follow the movement of an animal or food product through different stages of the supply chain. The ability to track livestock through their lifecycle relies on three pillars: premise identification (PID), animal identification, and animal movement….

Between mid-October and the first week of November, the nearby feeder cattle futures contract dropped almost $56 per cwt. Statements by the Trump administration that beef prices are too high, followed by intentions to increase the tariff rate quota for beef imported from Argentina; a plan to increase the U.S. cattle herd; discussions between U.S….

At the time of writing this message, U.S. trade is a very volatile situation. Rather than dive into that and risk it being out of date by the time you read this, I wanted to touch on more durable subjects. Rest assured that we are doing all we can on the U.S. market access front,…

As we come to the end of 2025, I’m sure you’re wondering what the new year holds for Alberta Beef Producers and its relationship with the Canadian Cattle Association (CCA). I am pleased to report that significant progress has been made since our August announcement of the intention of ABP to withdraw from the national…

It’s been a busy fall across the province, and like many of you, we’ve been taking things day by day. While we’ve managed to push forward several strategic initiatives, we’ve also had to dive into the weeds as new issues popped up, such is the nature of working on behalf of producers at ABP. One…

The Government of Alberta has renewed its funding and approved a two-year extension for the Alberta Ag-Plastic Recycle It! pilot program through December 2027. Launched in 2019, the pilot provides Alberta producers with practical recycling options for materials such as plastic grain bags and baler twine. Beginning in 2026, the pilot will expand to include collection programs…

Alberta fed steers and heifers averaged $295.00/cwt and $293.00/cwt respectively, $3.00–4.00/cwt higher than the previous week. Despite fed prices strengthening over the past couple of weeks, the market has been disappointing relative to seasonal expectations. Dressed sales were reported from $493.00–$495.00/cwt delivered. Cattle that traded were scheduled for delivery through the month of January. Over…

New federal traceability rules are coming for 2026 and producers should start preparing now, says the Canadian Cattle Identification Agency (CCIA). The federal government is moving ahead with proposed changes to Canada’s livestock traceability rules. Amendments to Part XV of the Health of Animals Regulations are expected to be published in Canada Gazette Part II in spring 2026. The…