Edge summer 2015

Angus EdgeOfficial Publication of the Saskatchewan Angus Association Summer 2015

The

Publications Mail Agreement #40019886

Continued on page 10

I am excited and appreciative to be able to write this article for the Summer Angus Edge. After trying to decide what sort of input I could provide to this great membership I decided to talk about my experience serving on the Canadian Angus Association board the past three years.

As we all know these are very excellent times in the cattle industry and I think that some of our difficult decisions made at the board level the past three years will help to contribute to the continued success of the Association and our membership. Three years fly by fast in this quick paced world we live in. I did my first official board meeting at the Convention in Lethbridge, Alberta. This was the first year of the Convention format where there was a whole day set aside for our commercial sector. I really enjoyed the Rancher Endorsed day as one of the Keynote speakers was my brother, Stirling Fox, representing XL Beef. I believe it was a great day for all those who attended; very informative and a great question and answer period after all the speakers had given their input to us. One of my first duties as a new board member was to be brought up to speed on the Board Policy Governance method of operating. I took that course with my good friend

enjoyed learning about it and actually could see the benefit of this method as we got into discussion at the board level later on that week. I was privileged to

Brian Good and with another new board member, Lorraine Sanford, representing British Columbia. I have to admit I found it difficult to grasp the method but

Serving the Canadian Angus Association By Jon Fox

Back row - L-R: Rob Smith, Jon Fox, Jim Colodey, Gary Latimer, Bob Hahn, Corinne Gibson, Lois McRae, Tammi Ribey, Lorraine Sanford, Dawn Wilson,

Kevin Blair, Dave Sibbald and Jerome Richard Front Row - L-R: Brett Wildman, Ryan Currie, Sean Birmingham,

Doug Reid and Trevor Welch

Page 2 Angus Edge - Summer 2015

Angus Edge - Summer 2015 Page 3



Belinda Wagner, General ManagerRuth Watch, Office Assistant2nd Floor, Canada Centre Building, Evraz Place, Regina, SK Phone 306-757-6133 Fax 306-525-5852Office Hours - 8:30 am - 4:30 pm

Published by:Saskatchewan Angus AssociationBox 3771, Regina, SK S4P 3N8Phone: 306-757-6133 Fax: [email protected] www.saskatchewanangus.com

ANGUS EDGEThe

Publications Mail Agreement #40019886Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to:

Saskatchewan Angus AssociationBox 3771, Regina, SK S4P 3N8

Summer 2015Distributed to approximately 750 Angus Breeders’ and 2000+ Commercial Producers in Saskatchewan.3 Issues per yearFall deadline - October 1Spring deadline - January 15Summer deadline - May 1

Saskatchewan Angus Association2015 Board of Directors

DirectorsJason FreyOxbow, [email protected]

Glen GabelRegina, [email protected]

Chad HollingerNeudorf, SK [email protected]

David JohnsonPeebles, [email protected]

Trent LiebreichRadville, SK [email protected]

Kristine SauterWawota, [email protected]

Tracey WillmsDundurn, [email protected]

PresidentMike HoweMoose Jaw, [email protected]

1st Vice-PresidentMichael WheelerSaskatoon, [email protected]

2nd Vice-PresidentSheldon KyleRedvers, [email protected]

Executive DirectorGord RogerBalgonie, [email protected]

Past PresidentDale EastonWawota, SK [email protected]

Shane RogerJunior Director

Balgonie SK306-533-3324

[email protected]

David JohnsonCanadian Director

Peebles, SK306-224-4341

[email protected]

Tracey WillmsCanadian Director

Dundurn, SK306-492-2161

[email protected]

Corinne GibsonCanadian DirectorFir Mountain, SK

[email protected]

Honourary PresidentThe Late Alvin Swenson

Weyburn, SK




President’s Report ... by Mike Howe

We have had a wonderful spring for w e a t h e r and calving has gone e x t r e m e l y well due to the weather. This spring

also had to be one of the most exciting springs on record for selling bulls in Saskatchewan. The Angus sales results were incredible.

The Association has been slightly less busy this spring than last was but we still have a few great projects coming up. We are working in conjunction with the Growing Forward program in order to sponsor individuals in a mentorship program. They will receive funding for travel assistance to different Canadian and Saskatchewan events as well as learn from established breeders. The goal is to develop leadership skills and have people interested in serving on various industry association boards, as well as our own. We feel this will also assist young people in getting out

and attending our important events therefore also helping to develop young breeders.

We are hosting our Gold Show, which is also the National Show, in Lloydminster again this fall, in conjunction with their Stockade Round-up. The Gold show there last year was a huge success. We encourage everyone to take time to exhibit or just go to watch the show. There is an ad in this issue of the Edge with a few more details, and entry information will be available early in the fall with an October 1st deadline. There is a great group of breeders there who are working extremely hard to put on a world class show.

Our summer tour will be held in the Melville area this year on August 6 and 7. These tours are a great deal of fun, an awesome networking opportunity in a laid-back atmosphere and I encourage everyone to take the time to attend. There is another great group of breeders putting it on and it would also be a good excuse to get away from home for a couple days!

The Canadian Angus Convention and annual meetings were held in Calgary at our new Angus office the first week of June. It was very well attended with an excellent line up of events. The conference had some very interesting tours and speakers on the Friday. The annual meeting was well attended and I left with a sense that our Association is in a very good position for the upcoming 5 years. The Building The Legacy Sale for the Foundation was an incredible success surpassing last years total raising over $160,000. It was nice to be able to tour Angus Central and see the many interesting archival items on display. The Foundation is always looking for items to have there, to help preserve our history, so if you have anything that you would like to donate for display, please get in contact with the office.

In closing I hope to have a chance to visit with everyone at the tour or gold show this fall.♦

Michael received his award at the 2015 Canadian Angus Convention in Calgary, Alberta.

L-R: Sylvia Jackson, CAF Chair, Ty, Rhea, Tate & Michael Wheeler and Belinda Wagner.

To Michael WheelerWheeler's Stock Farm, Saskatoon, SK The 2015 Canadian Angus Foundation

OUTSTANDING YOUNG ANGUS BREEDER


Parkland Pride Angus TourThursday, August 6 and Friday, August 7, 2015

Day 1

8:00 - 9:30 am Continental breakfast & Registration at Melville & District Agri-park

9:30 am Depart for tours of Crescent Creek Angus, Northern View Angus, JJL Livestock

5:30 pm Melville & District Agripark - Cocktails & steak supper - Cattle Displays from various breeders in the area - Social/entertainment

Day 2

8:00 - 9:00 am Continental breakfast & Registration at Melville & District Agri-park

9:30 am Depart for tours of J Square S Angus, Hollinger Land & Cattle, Diamond C Liberty Angus

Registration Fee of $25.00 per person

** Cattle Display Pens available at the Melville and District Agri-Park. To book your space, contact Jenna Loveridge at 306-728-3823 email [email protected]

** Blocks of rooms are booked at the Sigma Inn & Suites, 306-728-2618, the Howard Johnson 1-877-361-2495 and the Melsask Motel 306-728-5441. Camping is also available at the Melville Agripark.

For more information please contact Jenna at 306-728-3823 email [email protected] or any of our hosts.

Please Join Us!!


be on the board with David Bolduc as past president and Gary Latimer stepping up to the president position, two very skilled, intelligent men who are easy to look up to and be properly guided by. I also would say that my fellow board members in the first year were an excellent group of people to be working with and learning from. I must say I was overwhelmed with the huge workload given to the board by our Association. I guess it was something I hadn’t realized, just how big and far reaching our Association is. But when I thought about the fact that we have representation from every province in the country and fortunately with Angus cattle being so well accepted in every region across every sector of the business from show and seed stock cattle, to commercial cow/calf operators, feedlots, beef programs, packing plants and on it goes, there is a lot. I quickly learned that my job as a board member from Saskatchewan was going to be challenging but very rewarding. The second year on the board saw Gary Latimer become past president and Kevin Blair being named President. I learned very quickly that Kevin was a natural born leader and admire the time he devoted and the way he handled our Association business and our board meetings, as well as being a very busy business man in the crop side of the agriculture economy. That year construction was started on Angus Central, our beautiful new building just

outside of Calgary. That in itself had us all very excited and anxious, watching this project start from blueprints and become an actual finished project was very rewarding.

Convention this year was held at Angus Central and I hope many of you were able to take the time to visit our new Angus home and I would also say we should all be proud and humbled as Canadian Angus breeders to be a part of an Association of fellow livestock men and women who rose to the challenge to build a legacy for all to see and be part of now and into the future.

Obviously there were all sorts of challenging issues and decisions made by our board, a few being: the DNA policy; Angus World; trying to better access Export markets around the world; financial sustainability; and a particular favorite of mine, proper show apparel.

My third year saw Kevin moving into past president and Corinne Gibson stepping up to the president position. We also had a major board shuffle with five board members finishing their terms and five newly elected ones stepping onto the board. This year has probably been the most challenging of all as we now have our Angus Central up and operating, which is rewarding and exciting, and we have been able to continue and progress across all areas of

our Association. Rob Smith, our CEO and his staff are all very committed to the success of our Association and work every day at improving interaction with not only our membership but also the many different partners that make up our Angus Association. This led to our decision as a board to increase our fees. It was something that we all struggled with but we ultimately knew it was time for change. There had not been a major increase in fees in over 25 years, yet our Association had grown astronomically in that same time frame.

The future is very bright in our Association and one of our goals is to continue to increase knowledge and awareness of Angus, not only as registered purebred cattle but also as a brand name product across the country and around the world. I’m certainly proud of what we will accomplish and also what we have been able to do as a board. I’m leaving the board after the Convention in Calgary and I want to say that I will always respect those that volunteer to give their time and efforts to a national board. I wish Tracey Willms and David Johnson all the best as future board members from Saskatchewan. I also want to thank my wife, Shelly and our children, Tyra, Jon, Jim and Jorja for their support, which allowed me to serve on the board of the Canadian Angus Association. ♦

Serving the Canadian Angus Association... continued from cover

At Convention 2015...

Dave & Anne Johnson Jon & Shelly Fox Tracey Willms & Corinne Gibson



From The Director's Chair ... By Tracey Willms

While I wrote this piece about a year ago, it is as relevant today as then.

“They were competitors, yet they helped me.” These words, spoken by my husband’s 89-year-old grandfather, struck me as profoundly simple advice for success in our industry. As a third generation Angus breeder, my husband has been guided by the wisdom of his grandfather, father and uncle. As a fifth generation rancher, I have been

moulded by the heritage of those before me. We are blessed. Blessed by the guidance of those before us. Blessed by the foundation on which we stand. Blessed by the opportunity to help our industry flourish in the future. And that doesn’t mean just our own children.

When I listened to Grandpa’s words (spoken while accepting recognition for the Canadian Angus Association 50 Year Heritage Award), I thought about how different it looked in the early days of Angus in Canada. We weren’t the #1 beef breed in the country. We didn’t have unsurpassed influence in the commercial cattle marketplace. We were the underdog. Many people who started with Angus cattle simply could not afford any other breed. That was Grandpa’s story. And we’re so thankful now that he didn’t have any money back then! Back then, people were working harder for the breed to succeed than the individual. I believe that is a critical lesson for today.

What if we learned to use other people’s success stories to edify the possibilities with our breed and industry? What if we helped new breeders to become successful instead of worrying about losing market share? The most common concern I hear about the future of our breed (and agriculture in general) is the attraction and retention of young people. If you are fortunate enough to have learned from a mentor, perhaps become a mentor. Share your knowledge. Spare someone else the pain of a long, hard lesson.

Instead of attacking someone else’s success by calling into question their methods, intention or integrity, ask smart questions to figure out how they did it. Use their success to redefine possibility.

“And to whomsoever much is given, of him shall much be required: and to whom they commit much, of him will they ask the more.” Luke 12:48

Payton Gabel was born on May 8, 2015 to Devin and Sheri.

She weighed 6lbs 9oz. Proud Grandpa is Glen Gabel of

Glen Gabel Angus.

Tilly Sandra Switzer was born on May 26, 2015 to Beau and Ashley

of Valley Blossom Ranch. She weighed 7lbs 7oz.

Proud grandparents are Bob and Gail Switzer of Sandy Bar Ranch.



I grew up on our 4th g e n e r a t i o n family farm just west of N e u d o r f , where I c u r r e n t l y o p e r a t e H o l l i n g e r

Land & Cattle with two of the four generations, my dad and grandpa, Trevor and Elroy Hollinger.

I knew at an early age that our farm was where I wanted to be. I was a member of the local 4-H club in Neudorf for many years, where I grew to love exhibiting and showing cattle. Throughout the years I worked for numerous operations at various shows, working with many breeds of cattle. After graduating from high school, I spent two years in Vermilion at Lakeland College earning my diploma in Livestock Production.

While attending college, I had the opportunity to work for Justamere Farms at Lloydminster. I eventually became herdsman and continued to work with Justamere for the next three years. We attended many shows across Canada and the United States.

By Chad HollingerDirector Profile - Chad Hollinger...In 2010, I had the exciting opportunity to purchase my own land base and moved home to farm. We have grown our mixed farming operation from a 60 cow commercial herd and 1500 acre grain farm to 90 purebred Angus females, 110 commercial females and 3500 acres of crop land.

We gradually began marketing our bulls off farm and select females through numerous consignment sales across Saskatchewan and Manitoba. As we grew our purebred herd, we recognized the need to begin marketing our bulls through a sale. We attended Regina Bull Sale for one year, then had our first annual sale along with Kuntz Farms Red Angus at Balgonie. The success of this sale led us to the point that we decided to host our own on farm bull and female sale. Our sale is held at the farm each year, the second last Monday of March. We market our bulls as well as a select group of purebred replacement females in this sale. As an added feature, we offer our past customers the opportunity to consign pens of three commercial replacement heifers.

Showing cattle is an important aspect of our purebred operation. We annually

attend Canadian Western Agribition, Brandon AgEx, as well as numerous other shows. We had an excellent show season this past November, winning many classes and divisions. This year, for us, was possibly the most rewarding one we have had. We were named Premier Breeder as well as Premier Exhibitor in our National Angus Show at Canadian Western Agribition. It was extremely gratifying to have our hard work rewarded with these achievements. I believe in raising quality, honest Angus cattle that display a great degree of calving ease and functionality, as well as performance. My focus is to raise cattle that will work hard for the commercial cattlemen as well as seed stock operations.

I’m very excited to have been elected as a new board member for the Saskatchewan Angus Association. I look forward to working with the other board members and being a voice for all members of the Saskatchewan Angus Association. It’s organizations like this that help keep our breed #1.♦

Nominations are now open for the 2015 Commercial Producer of the Year and a winner will be selected by the Board at their fall meeting prior to Canadian Western Agribition (CWA). The recipient will be notified of the award and invited to the Angus Show at CWA.

Please provide the name, address and a brief history on the individual(s) with your nomination. Also provide your name and contact information. For more information, call the office at 306-757-6133.

Saskatchewan Angus Association COMMERCIAL PRODUCER OF THE YEAR

Send your nomination by mail, fax or email to:Saskatchewan Angus AssociationBox 3771, Regina, SK S4P 3N8Fax 306-525-5852 Email: [email protected]

Deadline for Nominations...August 15, 2015



The Saskatchewan Angus Association is offering a Mentorship Program for the 2015/2016 year. Five positions are available for producers aged 18 – 39. The program will provide funding for various events and travel, as well as provide valuable input from a mentor. The application is a simple process, please see the form on the next page of this issue of the Edge. The deadline to apply is August 15.

You will have 12 months to complete the required elements of the program, as outlined below. Some examples have been provided to choose from in making your final selections.

When you have selected all the elements of your program, you will submit your plan in writing to the Saskatchewan Angus Association office, by mail or email. Your plan may change throughout your mentorship, however all changes must be reported to the administrator.

Upon completion of your approved program, you will be required to prepare and submit a final report. This report will outline all of your activities, summarizing what you learned from each experience and how you feel the program, overall, has enhanced your ability to better manage your business and provide leadership to the beef industry.

Your mentorship program must include: Attendance at two of the following: the Saskatchewan Angus Association Annual General Meeting and Saskatchewan Beef Industry Conference (SBIC) in January, the Canadian Angus Association Convention in June, Saskatchewan Angus Field Day/Tour, date TBA in July or August

Attendance at one beef-industry-specific educational conference, workshop or seminar, for example:

- Saskatchewan Cattle Feeders Feedlot Management School - Western Beef Development Centre (WBDC) Cow/Calf or Pasture School- CAA Carcass 101, etc.

Attendance at one professional development workshop or seminar, for example:- Social media training- Media training- Governance training- Government relations- Financial planning- Marketing, promotions- Succession planning, etc.

Participation in at least one SAA Sub-Committee and assisting with the execution of one task on that committee, examples include:

Saskatchewan Angus Association Mentorship Program...

APPLY TODAY!!!

Promotions: Commercial: Show/Sale: Juniors:Writing or sourcing one article for the Angus Edge

Presenting awards at the CWA commercial show or another SAA sponsored show

Sponsorship and Volunteer procurement for Agribition

Attend a regional 4-H show and distribute awards to Angus influence projects

Supplying or sourcing photos for SAA promotional material

Attending a Rancher Endorsed Feeder calf sale in your area

Assist show organizers at the Gold Show or at Agribition

Assist with judging scholarships/youth awards

Developing a print ad concept

Attend the Saskatchewan Angus Field day/Tour and assist hosts with various tasks

(clerk, announcer, ringman, marshaller, tattoo check, weighing, etc.)

Assist SJAA with Junior Show

Assisting with our facebook page and web-site

Participants may also choose to attend other beef industry events that will provide networking and learning opportunities related to the Angus breed. Some examples include:- Canadian Western Agribition- National Western Stock Show- American Angus Association National Convention- American Red Angus Association National Convention- World Angus Forum & Secretariat

CHECK OUT THISNEW PROGRAM!


Saskatchewan Angus AssociationBox 3771, Regina, Saskatchewan S4P 3N8

Phone: 757-6133 Fax: 525-5852 Email: [email protected]

Angus Youth Mentorship ProgramPersonal Information

Province:Village/Town/City:

Mailing Address:

Birthdate:Name:

Email Address:

Telephone: Cell:

Postal Code:

Fax:

Describe your primary occupation, career goals and interest in the Angus beef industry in general:

Why are you interested in the Saskatchewan Angus Mentorship program?


Summarize the qualities you look for in a mentor.

Do you have someone specific in mind to be your mentor?

What aspects of Saskatchewan Angus involvement interest you the most?

How can a Saskatchewan Angus mentor help you get the most out of the mentorship program?


Why YOU should be a Mentee OR Mentor ... by Michael Wheeler

This is a tremendous opportunity for new or younger breeders to gain information and experiences with additional financial support to cover expenses. The goals of the program are to help young producers gain valuable experience, take advantage of networking opportunities and develop the skills necessary to become a future industry leader. Saskatchewan Angus has been fortunate to access government funding to support this program and we are looking for support from young and old breeders to have this program reach its full potential.

What you need to know as a young producer:We have been approved for five mentorships for the upcoming year. Each applicant is eligible to receive up to $4,000 based on paid receipts for travel costs (including mileage,

airfare, hotels) as well as registration fees to attend industry events. Any Saskatchewan Angus member between the ages of 18-39 is able to apply. We will assist you with finding another breeder who will mentor you throughout the process and will hopefully create a lasting resource for you. You may also suggest or find your own mentor, and it is also important to note that mentors do not need to be from Saskatchewan.

What’s in it for a mentor?We are also looking for the support of our experienced breeders to help

guide our future leaders. This is a great opportunity to share the wealth of knowledge and experience you may have gained serving our great breed. It would be an asset if you have served as a volunteer or board member within our industry. We are not expecting a huge time commitment from our mentors, their role is more for support and to answer questions from the mentees. Simply being available for the odd phone call or a farm visit may be all that is really necessary. There is no financial support available to the mentors but there are also no travel requirements either. Being a mentor is a great way to “pay it forward” and help set up the future of our breed for success. Who knows, maybe you will meet a younger breeder that will play a role in the transition or dispersal of your own herd one day.♦

3rd AnnualHarvest Classic SaleFriday, October 23, 2015 at 7:00 pm

Johnstone Auction Mart, Moose Jaw, SK (4 miles west on HWY #1)

Heifer Calves - Bred Heifers - Young Producing Cows; most with an AI influence Selection of club calves

For more information contactGlen Gabel - 306-536-1927Auctioneer - Chris Poley - 306-220-5006


Good day, SK Angus members;

I’m writing to you from my hotel room in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island. Just a few hours, ago, new CAA President Tammi Ribey, her husband, Brian, and 2014 (now ‘retired’) Robert C. McHaffie Canadian Junior Ambassador Matt Bates headed back to Ontario after a superb few days at the Maritimes Angus Association Field Day and Junior Show. Tammi was the judge for the Junior Show, Matt delivered a number of workshops and we all appreciated hearing from our fellow Angus enthusiasts and national Angus fraternity members from across the Maritimes. There is a strong tradition of Angus genetics and cattle supporters out here that is interesting because they are still trying to move Angus into the #1 market share position, like Quebec to the west. In every other province, Angus is #1, but our committed folks in our farthest east regions want and need our help to assist them in continuing our ‘tidal wave’ of Angus ‘pride’ all the way to the Atlantic Ocean.

And this month has been so very much about ‘Angus Pride’.

‘Pride’ was so clearly apparent at our National Convention earlier this month that I cannot even begin to describe it. Amid concerns over a dramatic drought affecting much of western Canada, you and your fellow CAA members came out to say, “Yes We Can!” with loud voices, in large numbers, in Calgary, Alberta and at your national CAA headquarters, Angus Central.

There were a number of Saskatchewan members in attendance, including new Board members Tracey Willms and Dave Johnson, who I am very exciting to rely on as part of my most direct ‘boss’. When we welcome new Directors, we also say “farewell” to those who are retiring. This year, that included Kevin Blair (President: 2013-14) and Jon Fox. The contribution these two have made

is incredible, and I hope you thank and congratulate them for their influential and constructive work as your CAA Directors. And, as you are thanking those two, please know that you are in great ‘hands’ with Dave and Tracey as they join Corinne Gibson (President: 2014-15) to be your national Canadian Angus Association ‘voice’.

Convention started with the “President’s Reception”, the official ‘kick off’ to our National event, and, this year, featured cabbage rolls and buns made by Corinne’s mother. This very personal ‘touch’ was wholly consistent with the focus and direction that Corinne brought to her term as President: a strong feeling of ‘home’ and the ‘grassroots’ to fuel and forward our national progressive agenda. Corinne has been highly effective in promoting the need for YOU to share your thoughts and opinions, ideas and even criticisms about your Association WITH your Association. She has elicited, and will continue to pursue, your input to make your Association better: more responsive, more effective, more efficient. More than any President I know of, Corinne has advocated hard directly for our members and we have demonstrable, provable improvements as a result of her effort on your part. I will miss Corinne’s passion and heartfelt conviction as President, but know that she will continue as Past President for this next year and maybe you can convince her to run for the additional 3-year term she is eligible to serve!

Our Convention included probably our most successful “Cattlemen’s Connection Day” yet, with over 200 folks in attendance to learn about and network with our commercial sector. The 109th Annual General Meeting was

CEO Report ... By Rob Smith, CEO Canadian Angus Association

our largest in recent memory and we served almost 250 people at the banquet on Saturday night. We lauded and awarded eight (8) operations with their 50-Year and 75-Year CAA Heritage Member awards, as well as added one (1) more to the 100-Year CAA Pioneer Member Award list, which now swells to three (3)!

To finish our formal program off that evening, we concluded with another highly successful “Building the Legacy” fundraiser auction for our Canadian Angus Foundation. Thanks to the donations that come from you and your fellow CAA members, as well as your generous bidding and buying, we have raised $392,000 in our first four (4) sales. We are so humbled and honoured by your support and we can never thank you enough.

Your CAA staff hosted this Convention, and it was our honour to do so on your behalf. We loved every minute of it, and appreciate meeting hundreds of you so now, when you’re talking on the phone on sending an e-mail, Stacy, Laurie, Julia, Byron, Joanelle, Kajal, Angela, Cheryl, Alan, Karla, Keltey, Sydney, Brian and I have more faces that we can match to your names and voices. Further, the Alberta Angus Association was 100% responsible for the arduous task of keeping up to those wanting to make optimal use of the Hospitality Room, so we are graciously indebted to them for that BIG volunteer commitment. And I think one of your own, Derek Smart, won the award for the “Last Man (or person of any sort) Standing”. In gaining maximum value from the 2015 Convention hospitality, Derek was most assuredly #1.

Some announcements to come out of Convention:1) The new National Angus Cookbook is now available. This Foundation fundraiser is receiving very positive reviews and can be purchased for $20 from Belinda.


2) We unveiled Coul Angus’ James Arnott’s donation of an amazing Red Angus print that permanently adorns the foyer of Angus Central, your national Angus headquarters. We are so very grateful to James, a dual member of the CAA and Scottish Angus Society, who lives in Scotland but makes Canada his second home! Further, we also unveiled the new Wendy Risdale Black and Red Angus paintings which will be sold in print form as a Foundation fundraiser for the next few years. And we sold each of the first #1 prints of each in “Building the Legacy”.

3) Your CAA will be distributing a “Member Directory” this fall, including every active member of your Canadian Angus Association. If you want to advertise in this Directory, which will be distributed to 15,000 including our active Commercial Mailing List, please contact us. You will be hearing more about this in the coming weeks and

the advertising deadline will be late August. Further, we will be distributing a “Bull Buyer’s Guide” next winter, so you may want to consider using this as part of your bull marketing promotional campaign. Again, this will be distributed to our commercial contacts.

4) The Mexican Angus Association is thrilled to host you at the World Angus Secretariat this October. Details can be found on the CAA website and we are working with one travel agent in Calgary if you would like to coincide your travel with the bulk of your fellow Canadians.

5) Your Board of Directors has decided to leave the Parent Verification Rule as it currently stands, and will not require verification to the dam for registered sires born on or after January 1st, 2016. The Board is satisfied that the current level of parentage verification is improving accuracy and encourages all

CAA members to verify your parentage to the greatest extent possible while not mandating it any further than has been the practice for a number of years now.

Looking ahead, we have Showdown coming up in Olds, and this will be another great opportunity to celebrate our outstanding Angus youth and promote our breed to other young purebred cattle enthusiasts. It’s also not too early to think about booking your trip to Quebec City for next year’s Convention! The ‘talk’ in Calgary on June 6th was rather dominant that those in attendance think traveling east to “La Belle Province” is a great idea, so perhaps you’d like to join us?

Until next time, folks... I hope you are as wet as you need to be with hay coming on strong, crops looking healthy and your cattle on pasture getting fat and sassy!♦


Saskatchewan Junior Angus

AssociationBox 3771, Regina, SK

S4P 3N8Phone 306-757-6133

Fax 306-525-5852 [email protected] www.saskatchewanangus.com

SaskatchewanJunior Angus Association

Board of DirectorsTyra Fox - President

Lloydminster, SK - [email protected]

Brianna Kimmel - Vice-PresidentLloydminster, SK - [email protected]

Katie Wright - Vice-PresidentMelfort, SK - 306-752-3543

[email protected]

Alexis DeCorby - SecretaryRocanville, SK - [email protected]

Shane Roger - Junior DirectorBalgonie, SK - 306-533-3324

[email protected]

Directors at LargeKodie Doetzel

Lipton, SK - [email protected]

Alexis FrickNeudorf, SK - 306-728-3515

[email protected]

Jennifer JonesLloydminster, SK - 306-825-7253

[email protected]

Carson LiebreichRadville, SK - 306-815-7226

[email protected]

Wade OlynykGoodeve, SK - 306-876-4420

[email protected]

Saskatchewan Junior Angus Report... by Tyra Fox

It’s been another super crazy exciting year and spring for us juniors. Let’s go back to this February, which was when our 10th annual Canadian Junior Angus Association GOAL conference took place in Guelph, Ontario. This year’s GOAL conference had many new juniors in attendance, as well as many previous attenders. There were over 60 juniors there, making it the biggest GOAL ever. This included eight NJAA members making the long trip from the States. It was great having them there because it allowed us to get a better understanding of their Junior Association down there, they also learned a lot about our Association and how we do things. GOAL was a lot of fun and involved lots of learning from all the speakers. GOAL is a great experience for anyone because it gives you the chance to learn lots and meet so many new amazing people, and make life long friendships. 2016 GOAL is going to be in February again, Family Day weekend in Ottawa, Ontario. If you get the chance to go, make sure you take the opportunity. There are many bursaries that you can apply for and it is a very simple process. Many thanks to the Saskatchewan Angus Association for supporting the Saskatchewan juniors who attended. I would definitely recommend GOAL to anybody.

This year it will be held in Olds, Alberta. Showdown, our national Junior Angus show, contains a lot of fun events including showing, marketing, photography; judging, art, the cook off and many more. This will be my first Showdown and I am very excited to attend, and I hope to meet lots of juniors there this summer.

Last fall our Saskatchewan Junior Angus Gold Show was held in Lloydminster, SK the same time as the Lloydminster Stockade Round-Up. We had a great turn out and it was awesome.

We are hoping for just as many or more juniors at the show and the events that we will be holding for the juniors are judging, grooming, print marketing, literature, photography and the actual showing part of things. Our Junior Show would not be possible without help and sponsorship from so many of our very kind and generous Saskatchewan Angus breeders, and I hope to see lots of you at the National this fall in Lloydminster.

Congratulations go out to Wade Olynyk for winning the election and becoming our new Saskatchewan representative on the Canadian Junior Angus Board. We have two director positions on the CJAA board, with nominations due January 31 each year.

Well this should keep everybody in our junior loop for the next little while, but if anybody has any questions please feel free to call or email me anytime! Hope to see many of you down the show road and stay tuned for details on another awesome Junior Social at Agribition in November.♦

Coming very soon this July 16-18 2015,

is the 16th annual Canadian Junior Angus

Showdown.

This year the 2015 Junior Angus Gold Show will be held

again at Lloydminster Stockade Round-Up,

in conjunction with the National Angus Gold Show November 4-7.



Sustainable: sus-tain-able | adjective

Arguably one the most diverse buzz words ripping through industries - ranging from textiles to animal agriculture - Mr. Webster defines it as: “Able to be used without being completely used up or destroyed. Involving methods that do not completely use up or destroy natural resources. Able to last or continue for a long time.”

The blanket term is blurry, but it is at the center of an environmental movement that has been rumbling with an unsatisfied hunger for the past 30 years. Carbon footprints are urged to be lighter in step, water is strikingly less abundant, the world population is booming. This, combined with other looming realities, have pushed consumers to start questioning where their food and products come from and how they are produced.

“Grow our business, while making a positive difference in society.”

The above is the mantra of McDonald’s Corp., one that has propelled the world’s second-largest fast-food chain into a sustainability movement almost as recognizable as the golden arches that grace thousands of its franchise entrances.

With an estimated 69 million customers served every day, fueling a purchasing share of 2 percent of the world’s beef supply, McDonald’s holds a hefty weight of corporate responsibility on its shoulders. Formulating a movement to meet high consumer standards while maintaining key market position doesn’t come without years of strategic planning and intense leadership.

Enter Bob Langert. Just weeks into retirement from serving as McDonald’s vice president of environmental and sustainability operations during the majority of his 32-year tenure, Langert has left behind a pair of Ronald McDonald-sized shoes to fill and taken with him an intense passion for environmental improvement. His life’s work has been the epitome of “riding for

giant and the Environmental Defense Fund aligned initiatives to reduce waste. It proved to be successful, literally cutting out millions of pounds of packaging through simple changes.

The same attitude came in tow when addressing supply chain issues. After joining alliances with the World Widlife Fund (WWF), McDonald’s mapped out a long-term goal to purchase responsibly raised fish without fears of damaging the world fish supply. On top of maintaining product integrity, the collaboration with WWF has given the company a well-respected, world-wide organization to help guide efforts, as well as vouch for them. That was the case in 2006, when McDonald’s announced it would no longer purchase soy products that were grown on former Amazon rainforest clearings after Greenpeace began parading around London in chicken costumes, protesting the soy-based diet of European McDonald’s chicken suppliers that shipped feedstuff from the world’s largest rainforest. Langert was able to consult with WWF alliances to check into the urgency of the situation, ultimately leading McDonald’s to dig deeper into the issue.

“The weakest link in the supply chain can cause big problems,” Langert says. “Things like this can’t be allowed to happen, and we have to think of the big picture so it does not come to our plate. A lot more is accomplished when we’re proactive before things come to our door, instead of being defensive.”

Along with the push to become better came the desire to be more transparent and open, Langert says, noting that transparency is not built on weakness but strength.

“Consumers as a whole want to know where their food comes from, who you do business with and what kind of values are held. This has made McDonald’s much more transparent with facts, figures and progress,” he says. “People care about what you do and how you do it.”

the brand” - rolling up his sleeves to pick tomatoes alongside supplier workers in his day and floating down the Amazon River on a raft with environmentalists.

When asked to define “sustainability,” Langert says, “It’s definitely the fuzziest term I’ve ever dealt with, with multiple meanings. It’s holistic, not just the environment, but the social aspect. It is outcome-based, with strategy to make improvements. It’s the treatment of people and animals. It has to be measurable, so you can prove it, and then it has to be reported.

“Over the years, the growth of the sustainability movement became my own growth since I was in it from the start,” Langert says.

A self-proclaimed city kid and product of the ‘60s, Langert had a front row seat to the social revolution, saying, “I was too young to join in but old enough to learn from it.” Straight from college in the early ‘80s, Langert joined McDonald’s to head up shipping logistics of a division within the corporation. Shortly after, McDonald’s started to take heat at the beginning of an environmental movement in the late ‘80s, shifting Langert into a new area within the company.

“I was moved into a temp position, cutting my teeth in the environmental field,” he says. “At that time, McDonald’s had become a symbol of waste. It was the first time we were disliked by the public.”

Listen, engage and learnA recurring theme in Langert’s strategic philosophy has been to look criticism in the eye and see what can be done to become better, which is exactly how he led the company during the confrontation of the environmental revolution. This period of time became a pivotal moment in history for McDonald’s, forcing the company to take a step back, digging deep into ways to reduce waste and develop a code of conduct for sustainability practices.

It started with collaboration in the environmental community, a somewhat controversial move when the corporate

Sustainable Passion, Business as Usual By Laura Mushrush




The economics just didn’t add up.

Median household net wealth decreased 27% between 2000 and 2010, according to the U.S. Consumer Price Index. Canadians were in the same financially leaky boat.

“Research would show that during an economic downturn, people tend not to buy premium products, to a point where they will go to a private brand or a lower price competitor to save money,” University of Guelph (Ontario) business and economics professor Tanya Mark says. “For any premium brand, we would certainly expect sales to decrease.”

Yet in 2010, just after the toughest segment of America’s Great Recession – December 2007 through May 2009 – she attended an Ontario cattle business conference and heard about a branded beef company with sales results that were completely counterintuitive.

She tried to explain the record-breaking sales with various other theories.

But the product category’s total consumption was down, too, another sign that the premium end should have been slipping. In the first decade of this century, annual per capita red meat consumption decreased from 120.8 pounds to only 108.7 pounds.

Meanwhile, this brand went from $350 million in annual sales in 2000 to more than $775 million ten years later, with 40% more pounds sold (See Chart below). The premium product did follow one trend of its category, however, mirroring record high beef prices.

“It’s a very well-known theory that as price decreases, the quantity demanded increases” she says. “When you see a very large increase in sales, you must have dropped your prices, right?”

Premium Beef a Crossover Success - Regardless of the Economy, “Hedonic” Desires Drive Demand

Wrong. The company’s average annual price moved from $1.15 per pound in 2000 to $1.64 in 2010.

“So, even though the price continues to rise, and it is still rising, demand is still increasing,” Mark says.

To figure out why, she and colleagues in Canada, France and Australia looked at total monthly sales volumes for the Certified Angus Beef ® (CAB®) brand from 2000 through 2010, plus a breakout of monthly foodservice and retail sales volumes from 2006-2011.

Results formed the basis for a white paper for CAB available at http://www.cabpartners.com/news/research.php and entitled, “Cross-Category Indulgence: Why Do Some Premium Brands Grow During Recession?”

Overall industry trends were cross-referenced with wholesale beef prices reported by Urner-Barry for a unique data set that allowed the team of marketing researchers to analyze overall demand throughout an entire business cycle.

But making sense of it all would take more than numbers, so Mark turned to her expertise in consumer insights.

“There is a lot of research around luxury, alpha brands that show our status – it’s signaling,” Mark says. “We aspire for a premium brand or a luxury brand to signal to others we are successful.”

Food in general is considered a utilitarian good, a necessity for survival.

“But because CAB is a premium food product, our research would show that it is, in fact, a luxury good because consumers tend to derive a lot more pleasure from it,” Mark explains.

That changes the standard economic application, and adds an important phrase to cattlemen’s vocabulary: hedonic consumption. From the Greek word for “pleasurable,” it’s a descriptor for any good that’s purchased primarily for the pleasant experience it delivers, but it better deliver. “Consumers making hedonic purchases are less sensitive about the price of a product when the objective of the purchase is a pleasurable experience,” the white paper says.

“Based on this research, we would argue that desire, that demand just doesn’t go away – we still have this desire to enjoy life and derive pleasure when we’re consuming things. But we’re also constrained by our budgets during an economic recession,” Mark says.

The data shows a desire for luxury items is universal and certainly not guided by affluence.

“Although luxury goods were hit hard during the recession,” the paper notes, “the stark recovery of this category cannot be explained by purchasing habits of the affluent consumer alone. One possible explanation for this surprising increase in demand for luxury goods is related to the substitution effect.”

That’s where the multi-market data on CAB sales

came in handy. When the researchers started comparing the data of restaurant sales against grocer sales, they found significant impact in what they termed

Growth in Sales of the Certified Angus Beef ® Brand vs. Price

By Laura Nelson




“ c r o s s - c a t e g o r y indulgence,” or more simply put, substitution.

“We all want to dine out and eat the best food and enjoy and

indulge. But we can’t all do that all the time, especially in a recession,” Mark says. “So going to a cross-category is this ‘dining in’ where you’re still buying the premium cut and enjoying it at home.” Buying that premium, high-priced steak at the retail store is worth the pleasurable experience – as long as the product consistently delivers. What goes out of the wallet must be made up for with taste-bud gratification.

“If there is a message for anyone in this research, it would be the importance of a premium product,” Mark says. “There

are more and more people who want that hedonic consumption and really, really want a premium product.”

Fortunately, marbling is a production trait for which cattlemen can select and manage. That’s important if beef producers want to continue to swim against a current of economic realities – cattle prices are more than healthy, which makes beef prices higher than many consumers can afford as a necessity item. The only thing that will keep them coming back to the meat counter is quality – or the promise of a hedonic experience.

“The message to producers is – the cost of acquiring Certified Angus Beef-type cattle – or whatever it takes to get that premium product – is becoming more and more important,” Mark says. “If you’re paying attention to this, you’re going to increase your profits, right?”

It has staying power, too, the research indicates. In the years since Mark and colleagues were crunching the Recession-era numbers, the CAB brand hit an eighth consecutive year of record sales in 2014. “When the economy recovers, consumers not only continue to indulge in a premium brand in one category – dining in – but also return to consuming the premium brand in general – dining out,” Mark says.

“It comes back to that notion of the quality of the beef. If you have a premium, quality product to offer consumers, the likelihood of your product experiencing similar growth is highly likely,” she says. “If red meat is not doing well, but you see Certified Angus Beef is doing well, we’re arguing that the only reason is its quality. And consumers want quality.” ♦

Premium Beef a Crossover Success Continued from page 26

Beefing it upMuch of Langert’s career focus has been leading McDonald’s efforts in securing its beef supply chain to fit a growing demand of not only environmental interests but welfare standards. In the late ‘90s, Temple Grandin was consulted to help the corporation build a set of welfare practices for its suppliers on a global level.

“Our formula of success was to work with experts and our suppliers,” he says. “They are rational and science-based standards to better the welfare of animals.”

Most recently, at the beginning of 2014, McDonald’s announced a plan to begin purchasing verified sustainable beef by 2016. While the lofty goal will take years to fully implement, the fast-food chain is off to a good start. In the midst of the two-year starter plan, McDonald’s and several key market leaders throughout different sectors of the beef industry (Cargill, Elanco, JBS, Merck Animal Health, WWF, Solidaridad, Wal-Mart and Sam’s Club) put their heads together to form

the Global Roundtable for Sustainable Beef, a collaborative group designed to enhance management strategies through proven science and shared ideas to produce a more efficient industry.

“Sustainability is often narrowly perceived as local and organic, but that’s not going to do the job,” Langert says. “We are all in this together, from the cattle rancher to the processor. And we all have a shared mission — to create quality beef.”

A lesson from the proThrough the years of working with diverse interest groups to lead the environmental progress of such a large corporation, Langert has learned a thing or two. When asked what advice he has for the beef industry, he encourages people to get more involved beyond their day-to-day operations.

“You have to be engaged beyond the four walls of your business. Don’t wait around because someone will tell your story for you, and it won’t be one you like,” he says. “And at the end of the day, people

will be skeptical, so step out and work to align with a third-party group who can vouch for you. Take charge, be proactive and find partners.”

While Langert may have hung up his official McDonald’s hat, he is far from being through with helping businesses steer in the right direction for environmental strategy. He’s currently a regular contributor for GreenBiz Executive Network, a meeting-of-the-minds forum for sustainability executives.

“Groups and companies that want to make a difference can make a difference because of the market influence they have,” he says. “I feel like we’re at a milestone time to accomplish a lot of things.

“We’re at a fork in the road, and we either have to take the opportunity or dig our heels in and not move forward. I know which direction I want to go.”♦

Reprinted with permission from Drovers CattleNetwork

Sustainable Passion, Business as Usual Continued from page 24


Business Directory

292140 Wagon Wheel Blvd.Rocky View County, AB T4A 0E2

www.cdnangus.ca [email protected]

Canadian ANGUS Association

1-888-571-3580

For all your printing needs(306) 525-8796

PHOTOGRAPHY

GRANT ROLSTONBox 1562

Vulcan, ABT0L 2B0

Phone: [email protected]

Index of Advertisers...Bar H Land & Cattle Co. ..................... 2Bohrson Marketing ............................. 4Glesbar Cattle Co. Ltd. ..................... 30Harvest Classic Sale ........................ 19Howe Red Angus ............................. BCIvanhoe Angus .................................. 31

Coming Events...Jul 16-18 ..... Showdown 2015, Olds, ABAug 6-7 ........ Saskatchewan Angus SUMMER TOUR, Melville, SK areaAug 15 ......... Deadline for Saskatchewan Angus Mentorship Program ApplicationsOct 1 ............ Deadline for The Angus Edge, Fall EditionOct 1 ............ Deadline for Entries, National Angus Show AND .................... Canadian Western AgribitionOct 12-27 .... World Angus Secretariat, MexicoOct 19 .......... Justamere Sale of the Year, Lloydminster, SKOct 23 .......... Harvest Classic Sale, Moose Jaw, SKNov 4-7 ........ Stockade Round-up, NATIONAL Angus Show and Saskatchewan Angus .................... Gold & Junior Show, Lloydminster, SKNov 6 ........... National Angus Show, Lloydminster, SKNov 6 ........... Fall Fusion Sale, Lloydminster, SKNov 23-28 .... Canadian Western Agribition, Regina, SKNov 25 ......... Masterpiece Angus Sale, Regina, SKNov 26 ......... Agribition Angus Show, Regina, SKNov 27 ......... Power and Perfection Sale, Regina, SKDec 15 ......... Johnson Livestock Female Sale, Peebles, SKDec 17 ......... Glesbar Cattle Co. Dispersal Sale, Clyde, ABDec 19 ......... The Angus Collection Sale, Olds, ABDec 29 ......... Sandy Bar Angus Dispersal Sale, Aneroid, SK

Johnson Livestock ............................ 15Justamere Farms .............................. 13Masterpiece Angus Sale ..................... 3Merit Cattle Co. ................................. 11Power & Perfection Sale ..................... 4Sandy Bar Ranch ........................... 6, 7



IVANHOE ANGUSwould like to thank everyone who supported

their 2015 Bull & Female Sale...

Doug & Joan GomersallRemington Land & CattleRichard & Kathy Rieder

Cameron & Colleen CampbellColin & Pat Toner

Rafter C Ranch - Gord CookBMT Short Farms Ltd - Brian & Merle Short

Roy & Pam KirbyHB Outdoors Ltd. - Errol StewartGarner, Garth & Matthew Zerbin

Linthicum Rach Ltd. - Frank & Murray LinthicumMitchel Ranch Ltd. - Clint Mitchell

Blayne & Allison KleinAllan Fahlman

Ken BallJason Ball

Mike HolmesYoung Dale Angus

Sandy Bar Ranch Ltd.Hi-Low Angus

Merit Cattle Company

Ron & Marilyn MountenayBox 23, Belle Plaine, SK S0G 0G0

Phone: (306) 345-2560Ron’s Cell: (306) 630-5871

IVANHOE ANGUS

Mann Brothers Red Angus, Wilkie, SK

Red Howe Shine 12B

Brent and Myrna Brewin, Taber, AB

Blakes Red Angus, McCord, SK

Red Howe Tempt 24B

Kattle Country Inc., Mortlach, SK

...As well as our very loyal and faithful commercial breeders for all their support.

Red Howe Shine 43B

Red Howe Tempt 87B

Howe Red AngusHowe Family

Moose Jaw, SK306-631-8779 or 306-691-5011

www.howefarm.ca

Howe Red AngusThank you to these progressive breeders for adding Howe Red Angus genetics to their programs

Edge summer 2015

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