The youngest-ever chair of Alberta Beef Producers says he’s excited to bring the voice of the next generation to the organization.
“To be honest, when I first got involved with ABP, I had no intent of getting to the top position,” said 32-year-old Brodie Hagen, who ranches near Orion.
“I just saw the opportunity to get involved. I’ve always seen the importance of the next generation, the younger generation, to truly have their voices heard. Things just aligned and the opportunity presented itself and I couldn’t say no. It was once in a lifetime to have this opportunity,” said Haugan, who was elected chair at the ABP annual general meeting March 1.
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Haugan is a fifth-generation rancher who works with his parents at Haugan Land and Cattle, a commercial cow-calf operation. It grows all of its feed and cash crops and works with several feedlots to background and finish their cattle.
Haugan is no stranger to ABP. He has been a delegate for eight years and is closing in on his fifth year on the board. He just finished serving two years as finance chair.
Haugan sees several issues to watch in the cattle sector.
“Coming off of a couple years of severe drought, we’re really keeping our eyes on the mother cow numbers in the province. What we see on the ground is that we’ve seen a lot of mother cows going to sale. The numbers haven’t really shown that yet, but we’re expecting them to show this year, a decrease in the mother cow herd.
“That will have a major effect on our industry as a whole. We’re really focusing on that, and that leads into focussing on the profitability of our industry and trying to figure out ways to support and mitigate that comes along with being producers.”
Beef producers must continue to stay profitable and relevant, Haugan said.
“Our operations need to continue long-term. It’s not just trying to survive one or two years. It’s trying to ensure that our operations are viable and profitable for many years, which then creates opportunities for the next generation as well as investment into our sector.”
Staying relevant
Haugan said it’s hugely important for ABP to stay relevant and be the voice of producers. This includes being transparent about where producers’ dollars are being spent, letting them know about the organization’s activities and successes, and what issues ABP continues to work on. As things are heating up for the provincial election, the organization hasn’t yet planned any campaigns or initiatives.
But Haugan said it’s an exciting time.
“We’ve had a lot of pressure in the past couple of years. There are some negative things that are happening, where we are seeing a lot of people potentially leaving the industry. At the same time, I see it as a massive opportunity and there’s positive potential in the coming months and years. We’re seeing some record prices. At the same time, our input costs are extremely high.”
Haugan said those in the cattle industry are working to ensure the cow-calf sector remains viable.
“I think we’ll see a lot of focus on the cow-calf industry specifically in the coming years and months. Everyone knows it’s extremely important for more than just the cow-calf guys. It’s about the small communities and it’s all the other industries who are connected to it. I’m excited. There’s a lot of really interesting discussions and things coming up.”
Haugan wants producers from all walks of life to get involved.
“The voices of producers are so important. It’s critical to ensure that Alberta Beef Producers hear what is happening on the ground and what the issues are. It’s more important than ever. That helps guide our conversations and the direction we take as Alberta Beef Producers.”
The other executive members are Sheila Hillmer, vice-chair, who operates a mixed farm near Del Bonita and Fred Lozeman, finance chair, who ranches and grows oilseeds, grains and forage near Claresholm.
Haugan takes over as chair from Melanie Wowk, a producer from Beauvallon.
