CCA Election Priorities

Aug 24, 2021

The Canadian Cattlemen's Association (CCA) is welcoming all parties to consider the beef sector's policy priorities both for platform documents and if elected, inclusion in their governing mandate letters.

Climate Policy & Nature Based Solutions

Have the beef sector recognized as a key part of the solution in fighting climate change and maintaining biodiversity. Elevate the ability for farmers and ranchers to participate in and benefit from investments in natural climate solutions. Continue to push back against misguided climate policies while advancing the Canadian cattle industry’s tremendous environmental record.

Trade and Market Access

Increase the capacity and efficiency of beef trade potential. Continue to grow and improve access for Canadian beef in key markets (China, European Union, United Kingdom). Remove remaining BSE-era limits to regain market access.

Economic Resiliency

Enhance the economic resiliency and competitiveness of the Canadian beef industry. Ensure the long-term challenges of labour shortages are addressed.

Innovation and Research

Invest in strategic research and innovation adoption and uphold the Canadian cattle industry as the global model for sustainable beef production.

Animal Health

Strengthen Canada’s ability to respond and proactively address animal health and care and develop stable funding for national animal health surveillance.

Rural Communities

Build strong rural communities by investing in broadband internet access, rural mental health programming and in infrastructure and services that make rural Canada an attractive place to live and work.

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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.