Federal Government’s 2020 Fall Statement Includes Focus On Prairie Farms And Grasslands

The Manitoba Forage and Grassland Association (MFGA) is optimistic about what was presented in the federal government's 2020 Fall Statement.

 

“Without knowing too many details about delivery, we interpret this announcement as a show of support and reinforcement for some of the work we have been doing as producers on our grasslands via the farming systems that we utilize on our farms to increase soil health, which is the ultimate driver of carbon sequestration,” said Larry Wegner, MFGA Chair. “Also, our collective MFGA engagement of regenerative agriculture practices as well as beneficial management practices as an organization and producer-based network has consistently shown us the benefits of working with nature on our farms from both an environmental and economic perspective. This announcement fits nicely with our approach.”

 

In a news release, MFGA says Environment Climate Change Canada (ECCC) also figured prominently into that NBCS area of the Statement to restore degraded ecosystems, protect wildlife, and improve land and resource management practices.

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.