Producing cattle has changed a lot in the past few decades in Canada.

Organizations such as Alberta Beef Producers, the Canadian Cattle Association and the many purebred breed associations provide leadership and help guide where the industry is headed.

Professionals such as nutritionists, veterinarians and the pharmaceutical industry add to the production of wholesome, nutritious, affordable and safe beef in Canada.

4-H clubs and their members learn and act on the same methods and management strategies that have made producers successful in producing cattle.

As a former 4-H member myself, the motto of “Learn to do by doing” is never truer than in the organization’s beef projects.

The industry uses terms such as preconditioning, stress-free cattle handling, one health, antimicrobial resistance, antibiotic free and animal welfare, but they can be misconstrued and confusing to the general public.

I want to provide some clarity about where the cattle industry is progressing and how 4-H beef projects highlight this.

The sector has been able to produce more quality beef with less resources using improved genetics, crossbreeding and selection for traits such as calving ease, longevity, milking ability and carcass characteristics. This is an environmentally good story.

Increased feed efficiency has improved the feed-to-gain ratio to four pounds of feed for one pound of gain.

The largest cost in cattle production is feed, so any improvement is economically beneficial.

Balancing feed rations to maximize health and growth has also helped.

Of course, cattle raised for meat and growth are fed differently than the heifers and cows fed for reproduction.

Anything that affects health affects growth, which is why routine treatments are undertaken for internal and external parasites.

Many 4-H calves come from farm-raised stock, where true preconditioning is practiced, which means calves are immunized before weaning and then weaned with minimum stress.

Increased use of vaccines for respiratory disease and other common cattle diseases such as clostridial diseases are routinely practiced, which helps ensure minimal antibiotic use.

Please note that there are no antibiotic residues in meat.

The antibiotics and vaccines that producers use are approved for cattle and have recognized meat withdrawals, which producers closely follow.

Trying to raise cattle totally without antibiotics could become an animal welfare issue.

Much like people, if they have severe pneumonia and it is caused by a bacterium, we need to give antibiotics or they will die.

All medically important antimicrobials are under the supervision of veterinarians. This is to ensure producers know when to use antibiotics and which ones to use.

Dosage and withdrawals are also reviewed, as are vaccination protocols to help ensure healthy cattle are produced.

Cattle producers are fully educated as to what their cattle need and are very aware and follow animal welfare guidelines, including the beef code of practice.

If they do need to administer antimicrobials, they make sure to use the right drug for the right condition and at the right dose.

Veterinarians can always be asked about these decisions.

They are also on the lookout for antimicrobial resistance, which results in antibiotics that no longer work.

A lab test can be done to confirm if resistance has developed.

Human medicine does this routinely, and the development of easier and quicker tests will likely result in more testing to determine which antibiotic will work best.

Growth implants are used in 99 per cent of the cattle produced in Canada.

They are extremely safe and have been around for more than 50 years. Because the implant is placed in the ear, there is zero withdrawal for the meat.

We castrate calves in this country to prevent unwanted behaviour in intact bulls and a condition called dark cutters in the meat.

Growth implants simply replace some of the hormones lost from castration. This results in cattle that do better and have improved feed efficiency, which means meat can be produced more economically.

A tremendous amount of progress has been made in reducing and treating pain.

Veterinarians have at their disposal a vast array of NSAID’s (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) to prescribe for painful conditions.

In most instances, painkillers are prescribed for disease or injury recovery, hard calving, lameness, castration and dehorning.

There may not always be economic gain, but it is simply the right thing to do, and recovery is quicker.

The beef code of practice, which we all live by, is based in large part on animal welfare. There are codes of practice for all the farm animal species in Canada, including bison, veal, and dairy cattle.

More advancement in products and earlier disease detection will help producers identify and treat sick cattle quicker.

Together with the medical profession, they are using all the advancements in cattle production to reduce antibiotic resistance so that medication use, when necessary, will have a better response in either veterinary or human medicine.

From handling cattle to loading and processing, producers are finding new techniques to reduce stress on cattle. Better handling facilities make processing a very efficient, worthwhile and safe event for cattle and farm workers.

Consumers should be very confident in the quality, safety and stress-free conditions in which cattle are raised.

Meat protein will continue to be in high demand, and the next generation of cattle producers, including former 4-H members, will help ensure this.

The cattle industry has great potential in the years ahead to help feed the world with this high-quality meat protein.

Cattle prices have never been higher, and I hope they bode well for the next generation of producers.

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The national organization said its most recent round of funding from Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada totals $1.7 million over three years. In the past, it has received about $1 million per year, said interim CEO Hugh Maynard by email.

Project-related funding, which rose significantly during the COVID-19 pandemic, has also returned to pre-pandemic levels, Maynard added.

“This will not have an immediate impact on 4-H Canada programming, much of which was already well into planning when we learned of the funding changes,” he said.

National programming is also a small portion of overall club activity across Canada. Traditionally, 4-H Canada has passed funds from AAFC to provincial organizations. Since the parent organization was only notified of reduced funding in October, it requested and was granted a one-time contribution of $216,000 for its provincial branches.

4-H Canada also has an application pending with Employment and Social Development Canada to fund various programs, which would include money for provincial groups.

“We are optimistic that the traditional support provided by 4-H Canada to the provinces will continue,” Maynard said.

Meanwhile, 4-H Canada has laid off seven staff members. Maynard said staffing varies yearly, and recent reductions were partly due to projects ending.
In a statement, AAFC said 4-H Canada’s application exceeded the maximum yearly funding amount. That, plus a high volume of other applications, caused it to prioritize “projects that most closely align with program criteria.”

“Support for 4-H Canada continues under the new Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership’s ACP Program, with details for new support currently being finalized,” the federal government said.

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Shelby Longworth, the provincial programs manager for 4-H Saskatchewan, said the group of older teens wanted to attend for a diverse look at the present and future of agriculture in Canada.

“It’s a way to engage them so they can see some hands-on activities, hands-on demos and get a good picture of what’s going on when they’re choosing their careers,” said Longworth.

But it was mainly for fun.

“They volunteered to check out the show with their 4-H friends and have fun. That’s the thing with 4-H: we want them to have fun.”

Among the visitors was Austin Olsen, 18, of Tisdale. He was impressed with the diversity of the three-day Ag in Motion show, particularly the big iron.

“I like equipment. I plan to be an ag tech in the future. It’s what I’m going to school for. I wanted to see the equipment I’m going to be working on in the future.”

A member of the Tisdale 4-H Beef Club, Olsen is already making strides in his career.

“I’ve got an apprenticeship with Brandt Agriculture. They’ve seen my work and they like it. The technicians said I can work here and still go to school, so it’s a really good deal.”

Olsen, who grew up on his parents’ mixed cattle and grain operation, said adapting to new technology will be the biggest challenge in agriculture in the future.

“It’s going to be hard for people to adjust to autonomous tractors and everybody being on their farms,” he said.

“For years it’s all been hands-on. You turn the wrench to fix (something) instead of going on the computer to fix your tractor. (There will be) more depending on other people and not just yourself – more agronomists and soil samplers and other specialists helping you along the way.”

Kadence Johnson, 19, has been a 4-H horse club member for eight years. Now entering her second year at the University of Saskatchewan, Johnson has found a new 4-H application: the Next Step Club, a 4-H club for post-secondary students wishing to learn adult skills.

“We do financial planning, leadership work and community service as well as look for career placement opportunities,” said Johnson, whose goal is to become an occupational therapist.

The club has also offered opportunities for camaraderie in an unfamiliar situation.

“University is a scary transition. It’s so comforting to have this group of people I know, people I’ve grown up with in 4-H.”

— Jeff Melchior reports for Alberta Farmer Express from Edmonton.

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For example, three Albertans (Catharina Brosinsky, Jessica Hadwin and Torann Mecham) are among the 15 national winners of the 2021 John Deere Canada 4-H Scholarship and will receive $1,000 toward their post-secondary education.

That is just one of many scholarships available for 4-H members — 4-H Alberta alone gave out $270,000 in scholarships to 242 applicants in 2020. The organization has a streamlined application process so completing one online application means a 4-H member will be considered for all scholarships he or she is eligible for.

The Scholarships page on the 4-H Alberta website also has links to other scholarships, some ag based and others general, such as the scholarship matching service studentawards.com.

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The letter provides some specifics of the “phased workforce transformation,” but also notes that its plans haven’t been completely finalized. It also says cuts will be done through attrition “whenever possible.”

The agriculture side will account for 190 of the job losses, with 135 of those positions in the Primary Agriculture division. This includes programs dealing with plant and bee health surveillance, agriculture service boards, and crop assurance extension (including farm safety).

But it’s likely most will come from the research side.

The letter specifically mentions dairy research and extension, cropping systems, greenhouse service agreements, CAP (Canadian Agricultural Partnership) science and research, innovation agriculture grants, apiculture research, strategic research and development, and applied research in value-added meats.

It also says there will be a “realignment of priorities” in the Environmental and Farm Stewardship and Irrigation and Farm Water branches.

Other jobs and services seem destined to be hived off in some fashion.

“The Food Science and Technology Centre in Brooks, the Food Processing Development Centre in Leduc, and agri-food laboratories for food microbiology, parasitology and support services will be reduced or eliminated although the large majority of positions in the laboratories will remain,” the letter states.

The revamping of 4-H will see the elimination of 10 jobs. Earlier this year, a single organization (4-H Alberta) was created to take over the work previously done by three groups (4-H Council of Alberta, the 4-H Foundation of Alberta, and the 4-H section of Alberta Agriculture and Forestry).

“Administrative and procedural efficiencies” will see two dozen jobs eliminated in the ministry.

The government’s notice of impending job losses also provides details on its plans to use sheriffs as well as fish and wildlife enforcement officers in policing roles in rural Alberta.

The “first phase” will see 119 fish and wildlife enforcement officers responding to “priority 911 calls in rural Alberta.” Next spring, a second phase will see 109 traffic sheriffs and 127 officers from the Traffic and Commercial Vehicle Enforcement division respond to “traffic incidents” on highways.

Sheriffs are sworn peace officers and those in the traffic division have long worked with the RCMP in enforcing traffic laws on highways. Among other duties, vehicle enforcement officers perform safety inspections of commercial vehicles and their drivers.

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The new CEO of 4-H Alberta has, however, been involved with youth programming for most of his life.

“It sounds cliché, but youth are our future,” said Kinnear. “There are some kids that I’ve met who are really grounded and some other youth don’t have enough life experience, and that’s where 4-H actually caught me.”

The 4-H motto — Learn to do by doing — is “such a powerful thing,” said the Calgary resident, who grew up on a mixed farm in the Olds region.

“If you don’t do it and all you do is learn about it, it just doesn’t work,” he said. “Being able to apply your learning is where all the growth happens.”

During his stint at the Outdoor Experience Centre at the University of Calgary, he was part of a team that grew summer camp size from 5,000 kids to 11,000 attendees each summer. He has also worked at the Calgary Zoo and Pioneer Camps, and was recognized as one of Avenue Magazine’s Top 40 under 40 in 2016 for his innovation in youth activity and leadership.

“I generally believe 4-H is one of the best youth programs,” he said. “As much as it’s rural, I also think urban youth need opportunities to have some of the rural opportunities as well.”

While involved in 4-H, youth learn vital skills like public speaking, and meeting governance.

“They learn a lot of things that a lot of us have to learn really fast the hard way that are all those fundamentals to living,” said Kinnear.

The fact that 4-H members range in age from nine to 19, has a host of alumni who volunteer as adults, and that the organization has been in the province for 103 years are all great strengths, he said.

“I was able to meet a bunch of people who have sat on past boards and things like that, and they have been with 4-H for 40 years and they are dedicated to it,” he said. “I have seen a lot of people impacted to it, so I really want to make sure we respect that history.”

But there are things that can be done on at an organizational level that can improve the program, said Kinnear, who is the first CEO of the newly created 4-H Alberta. The organization was revamped earlier this year by merging three former organizations; the 4-H Council of Alberta, the 4-H Foundation of Alberta, and the 4-H Section of Alberta Agriculture and Forestry

“I want to make sure it’s easy to figure out what’s going on in 4-H and get involved, make sure it’s clear and transparent for the parents, and then make sure the whole organization focuses on the youth. That’s what it’s all about.”

The pandemic has meant many challenges but beef clubs were able to transition, there’s been a lot of virtual programming created, and membership in the organization has not gone down since COVID-19 arrived.

“4-H Alberta has made an incredible effort to deliver during this. I think the beauty of 4-H compared to a lot of other youth programs is that it’s a lot of small groups, and a lot of youth organizations are very big,” he said.

Many of 4-H’s mentoring programs fall well within the guidelines for safety.

“There’s also a lot of parent-youth work that can be done through the projects,” he said.

Even though larger gatherings are on hold for now, there are opportunities to learn and grow, he said.

Kinnear said that 4-H is based on strong relationships between club members.

“Just because we have to be physically distant, doesn’t mean we have to be emotionally distant,” he said. “The relationships will be strengthened by 4-H. 4-H members have incredible community.”

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The organization hailed the changes as “a bold new blueprint for the future of the 4-H movement in the province.”

“After extensive consultations throughout Alberta, the three partners responsible for 4-H (the 4-H Council, 4-H Foundation and Agriculture and Forestry) have announced a realigned organizational structure to be known as 4-H Alberta,” the organization said in a news release.

The new body will have a single CEO overseeing operations of both 4-H Alberta and the Alberta 4-H Foundation, it said.

Having long-term funding in place was key, said the chair of the 4-H Council.

“This unprecedented kind of long-term assurance will enable 4-H to equip volunteer leaders and members with innovative program planning,” said Lanny Anderson.

There was strong support during the consultation of more than 400 4-H leaders, members, alumni and others for “a more co-ordinated structure,” he said.

“It was important that we modernize, but also provide ways for 4-H supporters to sustain the program into the future and provide for our facilities at the 4-H Centre,” 4-H Foundation chair Glenn Logan said in the release. “This commitment from Agriculture and Forestry, combined with the ongoing support of sponsors and volunteers, will provide the stability 4-H needs to grow and thrive.”

Further details on the organizational structure will be posted on 4h.ab.ca as they are announced, the organization said.

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The annual Leadership Excellence Awards of Distinction (LEAD), presented Monday during the 4-H Leadership Awards event in Ottawa, aim to recognize 4-H participants who, according to the organization, “demonstrate 4-H values in the way they live their lives” and honours youth who have become exceptional leaders through the program.

This year’s four winners were each given a $20,000 scholarship.

Josiah Lodewyk of the Niagara 4-H Goat Club is studying systems design engineering at the University of Waterloo with the goal of becoming an agricultural engineer.

“It’s an incredible honour; growing up with 4-H you really realize how much effort and time the volunteers put in to make it possible,” he said. The award “enables me to give back to my community and club through my education and pursue my studies in science and technology.”

Award winners were also paired with a specialized mentor who can help guide the students.

“The future is always a little bit foggy and just knowing there is someone who has already travelled that road, who has similar passions like entrepreneurship and engineering like myself, knowing she has advice for me and can give me some counsel and guidance to reach those goals that I really want to reach,” said Lodewyk.

Doug Sroka from the Maidstone Gully Multiple 4-H Club is hoping to become a clinical psychologist as he pursues his studies at the University of Saskatchewan.

The organization “is a really big thing in my family. My grandma served as the president of 4-H Canada, she served with 4-H Saskatchewan and my mom has been involved with 4-H as well, and all of her siblings – my siblings have all been part of 4-H so this is a really big deal for me,” he said.

“Lots of people perceive 4-H as just being a farming-type club. But it’s trying to shift towards an emphasis on youth development and providing opportunities for youth across the world. So for me, that’s kind of more my avenue within 4-H.”

Riley Callahan from the River Valley 4-H Club is hoping to become an engineer with a focus on the environment and water as he studies at the University of New Brunswick at Fredericton.

He was thankful for the honour as well as the financial award.

The money “allows me to focus more on my studies and not have to worry about not being able to pay my tuition or having to pay off a student loan at the end of the day, so that’s really one of the best benefits and why I’m so honoured to have this award,” he said.

Growing up, Callahan occasionally lost faith in 4-H over his 11 years in the club, but was encouraged to stay involved by his leaders.

“I can clearly see the goal and the mission of 4-H clearly and how this is developing young kids into great leaders for the future,” he said.

University of Saskatchewan student Courtney Taylor, who participated in several 4-H clubs in Alberta, most recently the Warner Beef 4-H Club, was also an award recipient.

Shannon Benner, CEO of 4-H Canada, said the award recognizes the work of the students, but also gives them an opportunity to tell their 4-H story and the impact it can have in communities.

“There’s no better time than now for 4-H. Whether it’s looking at the effects of climate change, to some of the staggering numbers around young people in Canada, to feeding nine billion people by 2050, you know, the time is now,” she said.

“We need to make sure every young person in Canada is thriving, not just surviving, but thriving. And you know, there’s no reason why we can’t do that here and 4-H has got a big role to play there.”

— D.C. Fraser reports for Glacier FarmMedia from Ottawa.

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The awards are driven by nominations from 4-H members who want to share the positive impact their leaders have had on them and their communities.

Lisa Patton of the Truro-North River 4-H Club in Nova Scotia is the winner of the national leader award. The other provincial winners are Marlene Baskerville (U of M Future Leaders 4-H Club, Winnipeg), Theresa Hunter (River Valley 4-H Club, Summerfield, New Brunswick), Janice Whalen (Millview-Vernon River 4-H Club, Avondale, P.E.I.) and Joanne Blanchard (4-H Challenging Pioneers, Mount Pearl, Newfoundland and Labrador).

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The awards, the largest monetary scholarships given out by 4-H Alberta come from Elmer and Ona Hansen Memorial Fund Scholarship (which was created by Lillian and Edward Ness in honour of Mrs. Ness’s parents).

Jade Nelson of Stirling received a $20,000 scholarship, Carter Reed of Delia received $15,000 and Shelby DeSmet of Spirit River received $10,000. Seven others received $5,000: Adele Beaudoin (Red Deer County), Bethany Clark (Bassano), Koryn Duncan (Coronation), Brookelyn Felske (Busby), Samantha Hutchings (Sturgeon County), Tiana Miller (Blackie) and Bryanne Peltzer (Duchess)

“It’s pretty stressful to move out and start university and this scholarship has really helped ease some of my worries about how I would be able to survive university financially,” said Nelson. “Most of all, I am grateful for the opportunities that have arisen because of this scholarship. Next summer instead of simply focusing on trying to make enough money to pay for another year of school, I am hoping to go on a humanitarian trip to help people in developing countries as well as gain new experiences to help prepare me for the years to come.”

The 2020 edition of the scholarship will start taking applications on May 1. The application form can be found at 4h.ab.ca.

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