Out and about with Alberta Beef Producers

It has been a busy few months out and about with Alberta Beef Producers. I was able to attend a number of bull congresses, bull sales, our producer meetings and our AGM in Red Deer. While the Bull Congresses were perhaps smaller than they have been in previous years, the quality of the cattle on display remains high. Here are the highlights from those we attended:

Lloydminster Cattlemen’s Call Bull Congress – January 14-15, 2022

• An exciting new event held by the Lloydminster Exhibition saw great support by local operations and sponsors. We cannot wait to see how the committee continues to grow and expand the event in the coming years.

CRE Canadian Bull Congress – January 20-21, 2022

• CRE put on yet another successful bull congress this January. This well-established event saw great attendance this year after a short COVID-related hiatus. Many breeds were well-represented and there was great optimism for the coming bull sale season. It was also great to see so many youth out with their 4-H and jackpot projects competing in the junior show component!

Stettler Ag Society’s Heartland Cattlemen’s Classic – January 28-30, 2022

• The Heartland Cattlemen’s Classic was perhaps the largest of the bull congresses we attended and was very well-received. The committee put on a great event and both the bull congress and junior show events saw great participation and representation across breeds. 

I anticipated that there would be some concern moving into bull sale season around how many bulls were going to be needed across the province and that producers were being more frugal with their dollars due to this past year’s drought and the uncertainty that comes with the spring. Based on the sales I attended and the reports received, there was still a great need for good genetics and an air of optimism that we are going to get the moisture we need this spring and through the summer. If you remain skeptical about the resiliency of our industry, take a look at the numbers:

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Our advertisers had a great set of sales this year and we appreciate the opportunity to work with such a lovely group of cattle operations. As we continue to find new and better ways to market cattle, we look forward to working with new and repeat advertisers through the magazine and online platform.

I will be on the road visiting events, auctions, field days and more, so be sure to say hello, ask questions or provide feedback the next time you see me in person, or give me a call at any time!

I hope for everyone that the moisture is plentiful, and the grass is green as we move into spring, and I wish everyone a very successful calving and breeding season!

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This article was first published in Volume 2 Issue 2 of ABP Magazine (April 2022). Watch for more digital content from the magazine on ABP Daily.