Manitoba Beef Producers Engaging With Government, Commodity Groups About Drought Situation

Jul 16, 2021

Manitoba Beef Producers (MBP) says it's continuing to work with the provincial government and Manitoba Agricultural Services Corporation (MASC), as well as other commodity groups, regarding the serious drought situation and possible measures to help affected livestock producers.

“Successive droughts have seriously taxed Manitoba’s beef sector. Swift and effective strategies are needed to address the immediate challenges and also to help ensure the industry’s long-term stability,” said MBP President Tyler Fulton. “The provincial government has recognized the importance of preserving the cow herd for the future. Strong collaborative efforts will be key to helping the sector deal with the significant challenges created by this agricultural disaster.”

MBP has requested the reopening of BMP 503: Managing Livestock Access to Riparian Areas, which provides cost-shared support for water source development projects. Another MBP ask was to provide producers with access to Crown lands for grazing purposes, which has been provided by the provincial government.

MBP has worked with MASC, provincial officials and commodity group representatives about how to make damaged crops available as alternative feed and roughage sources for livestock. MASC has given producers enrolled in AgriInsurance information about how to put their crops to alternate use during the growing season. MBP also asks that producers who have hay, straw or alternative feed sources available to post them on sites such as the Manitoba Hay Listing Service, local buy and sell sites and social media channels.

MBP says possible initiatives under AgriRecovery must be taken into consideration in a timely fashion. A quick declaration of the Livestock Tax Deferral Provision is also required.

“These are challenging and stressful times as producers work diligently to secure the resources needed for their cattle. MBP values the input from its members about the situation and the types of assistance they require. MBP also values the ability to work with government and other agricultural sectors on possible initiatives,” added Fulton. “The farm community has a long history of helping each other out in times of need, such as natural disasters. And, the support we have received from the public during this time is certainly appreciated.”

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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.