Farmers Dennis Reimer (l) and Charles Schmidt, looking for rain. (Lee Hart photo)

AIM for Hart: An informative first day

It’s official. If you want your province to dry out call Charles Schmidt. This climatological fact was among the many things I learned at the first day of the 2017 Ag In Motion (AIM) farm show near Langham, Sask. Tuesday (about 20 minutes from Saskatoon — the show is still running Wednesday and Thursday, so […] Read more


"To me as a producer, the value of all this is about maintaining and hopefully increasing market share." – Les Johnston

VBP helps keep beef in the game

No one has to participate in the verified beef program, but consumers and the food industry are starting to call the shots

Les Johnston figures if he wants to continue to sell beef, and hopefully tap into top or higher-value markets, he needs to be able to show buyers as well as consumers he is doing a good job. The southern Saskatchewan rancher is a believer in the Canadian Verified Beef Production (VBP) program. He was doing […] Read more

cattleman on a horse

A sampler of ranchers’ views on 2017

As might be expected, their plans range from expansion to standing pat and retirement

Rebuilding and expanding herds, or staying about the same — that seems to be what western Canadian ranchers have in mind as they head into 2017. Despite a sharp downturn in the cattle markets in 2016, only one member of this Ranchers’ Panel was talking about downsizing, with retirement in mind. The 2016 fall market […] Read more


Veronica McGuire, executive director of the CFIA’s regulatory and trade policy program.

Mandatory premise ID on CFIA agenda

It is one of the provisions included in planned amendments and regulations

Over the next couple of years, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) is moving to improve the effectiveness of Canada’s Livestock Traceability System by nailing down where all classes of livestock are produced, what type of animals they are and where they move. In regulations now being developed, both premise identification and animal movement are […] Read more

Producer Bob Lowe says the Canadian beef industry needs to get behind producing verified sustainable beef.

Sustainable beef is within our grasp

McDonald’s Restaurant project set the tone for Canadian beef industry

Alberta cattleman Bob Lowe didn’t have to do any management back flips on his ranch to produce cattle that under a recently completed pilot project qualify as “verifiable sustainable beef.” He has always aimed to apply sound production and environmental practices with his 500-head commercial cow-calf operation and 7,000-head-capacity southern Alberta feedlot. He and family […] Read more


Dr. Matt May, Feedlot Health Management Service, Okotoks, Alta.

Conventional beef is more efficient, yet still high quality

Study shows 100 more pounds of beef per head compared to natural and organic production systems

Conventional beef production doesn’t take a back seat to any of the more trendy natural or organic beef systems in terms of producing a safe, healthy, flavourful, high-quality meat, says an Alberta beef researcher. The question really comes down to how much the consumer is willing to pay. Dr. Matt May, with Feedlot Health Management […] Read more

Key players at the news conference announcing the new company to deliver BIXS include (from left) Larry Thomas, national co-ordinator of BIXS; Rob McNabb, general manager of the Canadian Cattleman’s Association; Hubert Lau of ViewTrak, CEO of the new company; and Ted Power, president of ViewTrak. (Lee Hart photo)

New company set up to deliver BIXS livestock data system

A new company — a partnership between the Canadian Cattlemen’s Association (CCA) and livestock technology company ViewTrak — plans to bring the newborn unsteadiness of an information exchange network to a full gallop for all Canadian livestock sectors. The as-yet unnamed private company was formed to bring the CCA’s beef information exchange system, BIXS, to […] Read more


The two couples named Canada’s Outstanding young farmers for 2014 congratulate each other at award ceremonies held in Quebec City. From left, Heidi and Andrew Lawless share the honors with Myron and Jill Krahn. (Lee Hart photo)

P.E.I., Man. couples named Outstanding Young Farmers

After a year-long nationwide competition, a P.E.I. couple in a potato growing and processing partnership, and a Manitoba couple building a seed growing and seed retailing business, are Canada’s Outstanding Young Farmers for 2014. Andrew and Heidi Lawless of Kinkora, P.E.I., both part of a partnership producing about 1,200 acres of potatoes, and Myron and […] Read more

Hart: Alta. packer to restart with eye on premium market

A veteran of the North American beef industry says he has no doubts he can turn a long-shuttered Alberta beef packing plant into a profitable business. Rich Vesta, the former CEO of the North American beef division of Brazilian meat packing giant JBS, has set up a temporary headquarters for a new family-owned company, Harmony […] Read more