Stock Growers Excited for the Future at 105th AGM

 

Saskatchewan Stock Growers Association (SSGA) invites all beef industry stakeholders to attend its 105th Annual General Meeting and Convention on June 10-12 in Swift Current. This year’s theme is “Raising the Bar” which reflects the continuous improvement by cattle producers to meet new industry challenges in sustainable production, profitability and consumer demand.

 

“The agenda is jam-packed with presentations addressing the most pressing issues in the cattle industry today from carbon sequestration to water quality,” stated SSGA President Shane Jahnke. “Producers are looking to explore new opportunities and to expand potential in international markets.”

 

The convention will kick off on Sunday evening at Heartland Livestock Services with a presentation on animal care and a live cattle handling demonstration. Day Two and Three move to Kinetic Park where several key issues for the beef industry in Saskatchewan will be addressed. Saskatchewan’s Agriculture Minister Lyle Stewart will open the Convention with an address. The agenda will also feature a trade update by Karen Hodgson, Deputy Director of Trade Negotiations from Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada.

 

“Since around 75 per cent of Canadian beef exports go to the U.S., the NAFTA negotiations are a top priority for producers right now,” Jahnke stated.

 

Convention delegates will also bring their voices to the business session on Day Three where they will debate resolutions adopted at the spring SSGA Zone meetings and elect a new executive. The AGM and Convention will provide opportunities for producers to network and exchange views, while the trade show running alongside will feature the latest information and technologies.

 

“We’re seeing fundamental changes in the industry right now. New foreign trade agreements create opportunities in emerging markets for Canadian beef producers. At the same time, changes in domestic consumer protein demands have created niche markets. The future holds a lot of exciting possibilities for the beef industry,” Jahnke commented. “So, it’s more important than ever for our members to stay informed and to keep working together on common interests.”

 

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.