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Ranchers Fear For Livestock As Canada Wildfires Rage

Ranchers Fear For Livestock As Canada Wildfires Rage

By Anne-Sophie THILL

Rancher BJ Fuchs hasn't been able to let his guard down as wildfires advanced in Canada's Alberta province, so far sparing his farm in Shining Bank but scorching forests and grasslands all around it.

Paddocks that usually hold up to 1,000 cows sit empty and a haze of smoke has reduced visibility to less than five meters (16 feet).

Fuchs and his son managed to evacuate his herd before the wildfires jumped a nearby river and arrived at his doorstep. Smoke now billows from piles of burnt trees on his wooded lot west of the provincial capital Edmonton.

The blaze that threatened his farm was powerful, he told AFP. "It's pretty scary stuff when fire's that close to your home."

"There're still  and, you know, I don't think we're out of danger yet," he said, sporting a days-old beard and a cowboy hat. "So I don't think we can let our guard down."

Alberta is the largest cattle producing region in Canada, with almost five million head of cattle, according to government data.

Dotted with open ranges and rolling plains in the shadow of the majestic Rocky Mountains, it has been used as a backdrop for Westerns such as Oscar winners Unforgiven and Brokeback Mountain.

Over the past week, wildfires burnt more than 400,000 hectares (1,550 square miles), and forced almost 30,000 people out of their homes. Some 70 fires were still raging on Friday, including 20 listed as out of control.

 
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CEOs of the Industry – Rob Brenneman, CEO of Brenneman Pork

Video: CEOs of the Industry – Rob Brenneman, CEO of Brenneman Pork

“From Pork Production to Performance Nutrition: A Candid Conversation with One of the Industry’s Most Unconventional Thinkers”

CEOs of the Industry, we sit down with Rob Brenneman, the visionary behind Brenneman Pork, for an unfiltered, in-depth conversation on leadership, survivability, nutrition, and the future of pig farming.

Rob shares how a deep-rooted commitment to **health—both animal and personal—**drives his philosophy and decision-making. From reshaping pork nutrition and advocating for the return of well-marbled, flavorful pork to confronting the ongoing battle with PRRS and other health threats, Rob’s insights reflect decades of hands-on experience and bold innovation.

Key themes include: Nutrition Reimagined: Why the industry went off course—and how Brenneman Pork is leading change by prioritizing gut health, fat quality, and real performance.

Health & Survivability: Rob’s take on biosecurity, disease management, and the systems and protocols that protect both pigs and profitability.

Well-Marbled Pork as Premium Protein: The science, consumer insights, and culinary feedback behind Rob’s mission to reintroduce pork as a premium, flavorful protein.

Sustainability & Farm Culture: How Brenneman Pork balances environmental responsibility with day-to-day positivity and resilience.

Generational Impact: Strategies to attract, inspire, and retain the next wave of pork producers with pride and purpose.

Plus, a fast-paced finale where Rob shares his top pork pick, leadership lessons, and what he’d change overnight in the industry.

Whether you're a producer, nutritionist, policymaker, or future leader, this episode offers a masterclass in where pork production is headed—and how visionaries like Rob are shaping it.