Geopolitically, it’s going be the “wild, woolly West until we get the WTO more fully functioning and that can take a lot of twists and turns,” said one member of a panel discussing trade at a recent conference.

Comment: Toiling in the mines for trade

Given everything that’s happening globally, it must take relentless optimism and determination to maintain existing trade relationships and broker new ones these days. That was my main impression as I watched a trade panel organized by the North American Association of Ag Journalists in late 2021. The panel comprised three trade veterans: Gregg Doud, who […] Read more


Feeding more forages and silage to cattle can give producers the ability to plant polycultures, the roots of which help increase soil biology.

No more baby steps

From the Ground Up with Steve Kenyon

The light bulb did not get invented by incrementally increasing the brightness of the candle. This is a quote attributed to Oren Harari. What he is referring to is the fact that most breakthroughs do not come from aiming for incremental improvements. We need big steps that come from complete mindset changes. For example, using […] Read more

Managing your time

Managing your time

Time is precious. Are you using it wisely?

Years ago at a conference, I participated in a world time clock exercise. Significant global events were mapped out on a straight line and participants stood on each of the spots and popped balloons in keeping with the occurrence of the major events. It was clear that much had happened in the last couple of […] Read more


U.S. proposes marketing “fixes”

U.S. proposes marketing “fixes”

Free Market Reflections with Steve Dittmer

Several factors may improve the beef business in Canada soon. As we’ve noted, China has been aggressive in driving the global beef market. The delivery of Meng Wanzhou back to China and the release of the Canadians should ease that cloud over relations. The U.S. tariffs on aluminum and steel were dropped at the recent […] Read more

Although farming and nature-based solutions are seen as 30 per cent of the climate change solution, only an estimated three to seven per cent of financing is directed to that sector.

Comment: The time is now

Last month, I touched on the opportunity to flip discussions around methane and the beef industry into a positive. However, it occurred to me afterward that some readers might have walked away with the impression that I have no qualms about the potential effect of government regulations and policy around methane on the beef industry. […] Read more


Nature likes to throw curveballs. Don’t be afraid of change.

I do everything, sometimes

From the Ground Up with Steve Kenyon

There has been a long-time, ongoing debate on how to regeneratively graze. Which is the right way? Who should you follow? There are many different schools of thought out there by several very experienced graziers on how to properly graze, but which method is the best? I have attended a lot of different schools on […] Read more

Your strategic plan should be inclusive and have as much involvement as possible.

Now is the time for strategic planning

Gather your ideas and then prioritize what is needed in the near-term

The year 2021 will be marked for a few things. Of course, it is year two of the COVID-19 pandemic. For many of us in Western Canada, it will also go down as a drought year, and how the pattern is going to continue is as yet unknown. What else is 2021 going to be […] Read more


High boxed beef prices in 2021 were the result of several factors.

Dittmer: Experts analyze American fed cattle marketing

Free Market Reflections with Steve Dittmer

Texas A&M University’s Agricultural and Food Policy Center co-ordinated and has published a 201-page study authored by 17 agricultural economists and market analysts from 10 different universities, plus support from the USDA chief economist. Entitled U.S. Beef Supply Chain: Issues and Challenges, the study was commissioned in August of 2020 by the U.S. House Agriculture […] Read more

What if the beef industry could flip the public discourse on cattle and climate change from a threat to an opportunity?

Comment: The whole picture

A few years ago, a friend and I came upon an accident on the highway just after dusk. A car and tractor had collided head-on. We were on the scene ahead of the first responders, so we stayed to help. The tractor had broken in half, which gives you an idea of how much force […] Read more