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ABP Working Groups address key issues

From traceability to trade structure, coal mining to wildlife conflict, ABP has active working groups on four of the most important files facing Alberta beef producers.

Here are updates from each of the groups:

Traceability

Following the direction of resolutions carried by delegates at the 2026 Annual General Meeting, ABP’s board is forming a dedicated Traceability Working Group. The working group will examine traceability closely, with the objective of providing producer-driven feedback and solutions that reflect on-the-ground realities across Alberta’s beef sector.

Members of the working group are being finalized, and will include representatives from ABP’s executive, directors and delegates; partner cattle organizations; and groups such as the Government of Alberta.

The working group will be supported by a dedicated facilitator to maintain clear timelines, while also ensuring issues are thoroughly examined. The goal is to develop realistic, workable recommendations to present to decision-makers.

Traceability systems need to be science-based and practical, ensuring they don’t create unnecessary burdens in day-to-day operations. ABP is committed to finding a path forward that works for cattle producers across the value chain, from cow-calf through to feeding.

Canadian Cattle Association

In August, ABP announced its withdrawal from the Canadian Cattle Association (CCA), effective July 1, 2026. In response, provincial members came together to discuss shared concerns, and a joint statement formalizing the creation of a Provincial Working Group (PWG) was published in the fall issue of ABP magazine.

With the help of an independent facilitator, the PWG—made up of representatives from all nine member provinces—examined the topics of national governance, structure, and funding.

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2026 T.K. Cheung Lecture in Animal Science - Dan Weary

Video: 2026 T.K. Cheung Lecture in Animal Science - Dan Weary

T.K. Cheung Lecture in Animal Science: "Using science to assess and improve the welfare of dairy cattle"

Dan Weary is a Professor at the University of British Columbia. Dan did his BSc and MSc at McGill and Doctorate at Oxford before co-founding UBC’s Animal Welfare Program where he now co-directs this active research group. His research focuses on understanding the perspectives of animals and applying these insights to develop methods of assessing animal welfare and improving the lives of animals. His work has helped drive changes in practices (including the adoption of higher milk rations for calves and pain management for disbudding) and housing methods (including the adoption of social housing for pre-weaned calves). He also studies cow comfort and lameness, social interactions among cows, and interactions between cows, human handlers and technologies like automated millking systems that are increasingly used on farms. His presentation will outline key questions in cattle welfare, highlight recent UBC research addressing them, and showcase innovative methods for improving the lives of cattle and their caretakers.