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High costs slowing cattle herd expansion Canada’s beef cattle industry is poised for expansion, but will high capital costs cause delays?
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Big shows offer a chance to reconnect Every year, Alberta’s farm shows attract hundreds of thousands of visitors — and socializing remains the major draw
BY JENNIFER BLAIR AF STAFF
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trong prices are signalling that it’s time to start retaining heifers and build the herd — but rising capital costs could cause some producers to hold off. “There’s lots of opportunities, but it’s costly,” said Rick Dehod, farm financial specialist with Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development. A decade of pain and low prices means many producers have other priorities than expanding at the moment, he said. “A lot of those ladies and gentlemen for the last 13 years have kept their cost of production down, and they’ve really managed their farms well and survived,” he said. “But they’re behind on some of their working capital and some of the things that need to be done. “I’m sure they’re going to take their profit and meet some personal goals and some farm goals prior to keeping those cows back.” That’s the plan on Jake Meyer’s farm south of Lethbridge.
SEE HIGH COSTS page 7 The cattle on show are only one of the attractions at Farmfair International.
Before there were smartphones, Twitter and Facebook, farmers perfected the art of social networking the good oldfashioned way — face to face at meetings, trade shows, and conferences during the busy winter season.
PHOTO: FARMFAIR
BY JENNIFER BLAIR AF STAFF
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nd that’s still what keeps ’em coming back for Alberta’s two biggest farm shows. “For agricultural folk, whenever they gather, networking is a major component of what they do,” said Dave Fiddler, show manager for Farmfair International. The Edmonton event has grown from humble beginnings 41 years ago into one of Western Canada’s largest — and lon-
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gest running — farm shows. With nearly 300 exhibitors and 90,000 visitors over the week-long show, Farmfair attracts farmers from across the country who come to talk shop about beef. “It’s where the beef industry comes to meet,” said Fiddler. “It’s the largest beef event in Alberta, and that is the major draw.” Over the years, Farmfair has added equine events and sales, entertainment, and competitions to appeal to a broader audience
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