Manitoba Beef Producers Reflects On 2019

Trade was a key concern for Manitoba Beef Producers (MBP) in 2019.

 

"Trade is definitely an important piece for any commodities market, especially within the beef industry," said General Manager Carson Callum. "We want to make sure we have a diverse market, so we don't rely on one particular market in general and I know we had some challenges with the Chinese market this year but it was good to hear that that market has been reopened and we hope to maintain a good relationship with that market on a federal scale."

 

He talked about some of the other areas of focus throughout the year.

 

"Whether that's the drought related issues that led into the crazy snowfall we had that has really led to a lot of feed availability challenges for producers across the province. Crown Lands changes, some of the changes to transport that are going to implemented. Predation, that's another big one."

 

Callum also looked ahead to 2020.

 

"There's a variety of things we'll keep working on. Whether it's the Crown Lands changes and trying to get some valuable change there related to those new regulations. We want to make sure that we continue to push on the different Business Risk Management tools that are available to producers to ensure that they are effective. Especially if we get into another poor production year that we've had in the past number of years here."

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.