Championing Alberta’s agriculture sector

May 06, 2020

The government has launched its strategy to stand up for Alberta’s second largest natural resource sector.

In the midst of a global health pandemic, international market and trade challenges, the Alberta government has established an industry advisory committee to act as Champions of Agriculture.

This group will meet regularly and provide Agriculture and Forestry with strategic advice and recommendations on emerging issues and priorities related to consumer confidence, and work to debunk myths in the agriculture industry.

“Alberta has a hard-earned reputation around the world for healthy, safe and reliable agriculture products. Our agriculture industry is well placed to meet the growing demand and compete with constant innovation. These Champions of Agriculture will help break down myths and misunderstandings of our sustainable agriculture practices and highlight how Alberta leads on a global stage to feed people around the world.” Devin Dreeshen, Minister of Agriculture and Forestry

Agriculture Industry Advisory Committee membership

Jill Harvie – committee co-chair and owner/operator of Harvie Ranching
Nichole Neubauer – committee co-chair and owner/operator of Neubauer Farms
Allison Ammeter – chair, Plant Protein Alliance of Alberta, and farmer
David Colwell – president and CEO, JBS Foods Canada
Jeff Fitzpatrick-Stilwell – sustainability and agriculture lead, McDonald’s Canada
Bob Lowe – president, Canadian Cattlemen’s Association
Jean-Marc Ruest – senior vice-president, Corporate Affairs and General Counsel, Richardson International Limited
John Simpson – chair, CANA group of companies and owner/operator of Simpson Ranching
Baljit Singh – dean, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Calgary
Gary Stanford – grain farmer and past-chair, Alberta Wheat Commission

“Alberta has a competitive agriculture sector that plays a key role in supporting rural communities and the economic success of the province. Being a champion for this sector means sharing the stories of what we do and do well. Alberta is a world leader in sustainable agriculture management practices and we can be proud of that.” Jill Harvie, co-chair, Agriculture Industry Advisory Committee

Championing the agriculture sector focuses on ensuring continued growth and long-term success for the sector by advocating for Alberta’s world-class sustainable agriculture management practices. News and success stories will be shared on the Champions of Agriculture and Forests website.

Alberta has a comprehensive response to COVID-19 including measures to enhance physical distancing, screening and testing. Financial supports are helping Alberta families and businesses.

Source : alberta.ca

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.