‘If a person wants to argue with strangers on the internet for the sake of arguing, that’s their prerogative. But we shouldn’t fool ourselves into thinking that these kinds of flame wars change people’s minds about anything.’ – Lisa Guenther.

Comment: Respect

You’ve heard it before and you’ll hear it again: Don’t feed the trolls.  Or, more specifically to our industry: Don’t bother arguing with animal rights activists online. I thought of this while checking out the Facebook comments on one of our features (Auction marts grapple with a shrinking herd and changing industry). Somehow the animal […] Read more


Aaron Birch and Joe Barnett — co-owners of Twin View Livestock near the southern Saskatchewan hamlet of Parkbeg — have been helping clients adjust to buying and selling cattle online since the COVID-19 pandemic hit early in 2020.

2020 was ground zero for online cattle marketing, say producers

How two purebred cattle operations used social media to weather the COVID-19 pandemic storm

As long as most people can remember, live cattle shows and auctions have been essential to the cattle industry. They’re not only a key way for cattle producers to market their product, but they also offer plenty of opportunities to socialize with other cattlemen and women, trade production secrets and — maybe just occasionally — […] Read more

Television Report on cattle
Note: I certify to be the exclusive author of the image of cattle presented in the TV

Bridging the rural-urban media divide

I’ve had a couple of conversations with producers recently about criticism of the beef industry in urban media and public perceptions of beef production. I’m also on a virtual ag media panel for the Advancing Women in Ag conference slated for Nov. 24 to 25, and one of the questions we were asked to cover […] Read more


Terryn Drieling of Faith Family & Beef uses her feedyard and cow-calf experience to engage in conversations about ranch life and producing beef.

Connecting farms, facts and feelings through storytelling

Two producers share tips for engaging an audience through video and social media platforms

Many beef producers spend their days doing chores, caring for cattle, and managing feed and pastures. Lately, farmers are being encouraged to add one more thing to their list — engage the public through storytelling. Social media platforms such as Twitter, Instagram or Facebook feature thousands of farm accounts, many of which post production facts […] Read more

New research by the Canadian Centre for Food Integrity will examine how COVID-19 has affected public trust.

Research finds Canadians want to learn about agriculture

Public Trust: Study by the Canadian Centre for Food Integrity shows gaps in consumer understanding of modern agricultural practices

The general public’s lack of agricultural knowledge is more widespread than likely imagined, according to a 2019 study. The study by the Canadian Centre for Food Integrity (CCFI) found that 91 per cent of Canadians feel they know little, very little or nothing about modern agricultural practices. However, this research also shows that 60 per […] Read more


Native prairie near Hanley, Sask.

Joining the conversation

While beef producers are on the front line of issues such as antibiotic use and greenhouse gases, their voices still aren’t being heard

Crystal Mackay was surprised to learn that a national event with beef on the menu didn’t have any beef producers at the table. Food Day Canada was created in 2003 to give Canadian beef a boost, and it’s now held annually on the first Saturday in August. Chefs across the country from small restaurants to […] Read more

B.C. beef producers are leasing a federally inspected plant in a bid to launch a  B.C. beef brand.

Comment: What do people know about protein?

Here’s a funny thing: for all the media and social media buzz around protein these days, it turns out people might not know a lot about it. That’s according to survey results released by Nielsen last year. It’s not a new report, but with the spotlight on alternate protein products these days, it’s worth looking […] Read more


(AgricultureMoreThanEver.ca)

Farmers encouraged to make Agriculture Day meme-able

Canada’s farmers are being urged to make closer connections with the country’s non-farming consumers, in both the real world and cyberspace, as Canada’s Agriculture Day nears. Spearheaded by the year-round industry-backed initiative Agriculture More Than Ever, Canada’s Agriculture Day is set this year for Tuesday (Feb. 13). “It’s a time to showcase all of the […] Read more

Backed by a business plan

Former Alberta Agriculture risk management specialist Bruce Viney spoke with heart at the Western Canadian Feedlot Management School earlier this year telling about his own experiences in cattle feeding as he covered points from his new publication, Business Fundamentals for Better Feeding Agreements. He got his start as a cattle feeder when he leveraged scholarship […] Read more