Global Agenda for Sustainable Livestock adds a Canadian

Sep 12, 2023

Originally from Mitchell, Ontario, Evan Chaffe has been named a North American representative of the Global Agenda for Sustainable Livestock’s Youth Advisory Group.

By Andrew Joseph, Farms.com; Image courtesy of Beef Farmers of Ontario

Beef Farmers of Ontario (BFO) has shared that Evan Chaffe has been selected as one of two individuals chosen to represent the North American region on the Global Agenda for Sustainable Livestock (GASL) Youth Advisory Group.

This prestigious appointment provides the opportunity for some of the globe’s top youth leaders to engage in dialogue, consultation, and joint analysis on the environmental, social, and economic challenges facing the global livestock sector.

The Agenda is a partnership of livestock stakeholders committed to the sustainable development of the sector through simultaneous continuous improvement in three main areas: global food security and health; equity and growth; and resources and climate.

Chaffe’s knowledge and experience will serve as tremendous assets as he represents both the beef and broader North American livestock sectors.

He is a recent graduate of the Advanced Agricultural Leadership Program (AALP) and is a past Ontario representative to the Canadian Cattle Youth Council.

Since 2020, Chaffe has served as a policy advisor with BFO and previously spent time in roles with Farm Credit Canada and the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs.

Chaffe grew up on a beef and cash crop farm in Mitchell, Ontario. And... he's rocking a really cool looking Canadian flag pin on his lapel.

Video: Evolution of Beef Cattle Farming

The Clear Conversations podcast took to the road for a special episode recorded in Nashville during CattleCon, bringing listeners straight into the heart of the cattle industry. Host Tracy Sellers welcomed rancher Steve Wooten of Beatty Canyon Ranch in Colorado for a wide-ranging discussion that blended family history and sustainability, particularly as it relates to the future of beef production.

Sustainability emerged as a central theme of the conversation, a word that Wooten acknowledges can mean very different things depending on who you ask. For him, sustainability starts with the soil. Healthy soil produces healthy grass, which supports efficient cattle capable of producing year after year with minimal external inputs. It’s an approach that equally considers vegetation, animal efficiency, and long-term profitability.

That philosophy aligned naturally with Wooten’s involvement in the U.S. Roundtable for Sustainable Beef, where he served as a representative for the Colorado Cattlemen’s Association. The roundtable brings together the entire beef supply chain—from producers to retailers—along with universities, NGOs, and allied industries. Its goal is not regulation, Wooten emphasized, but collaboration, shared learning, and continuous improvement.