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Alberta’s volunteer spirit shines among cattle feeders: meet Jacob Bueckert

Not content with merely feeding the world, many of Alberta’s cattle feeders also have a strong commitment to building community. We think that’s pretty special, and in upcoming blog posts we will be featuring some of the ways our members volunteer their time to help others.

This week we met Jacob Bueckert, of Driland Feeders in Warner, Alberta. Jacob and his wife, Caroline, recently flew their three children down to Mexico to build homes for a disadvantaged family.

“We went to Vicente Guerrero about four hours south of San Diego to build a house for a family who was basically living in a one-room shack,” said Jacob. “They had one bed for a family of four, and a baby on the way in less than a month.”

building homes for the needy Vicente GuerreroJacob’s family flew down and joined a church group and friends from Burdett, Alberta. In all, the group of 33 people built two houses.

Alberta is well known for being a generous province and, like so many others, Jacob is motivated by a desire to enrich the lives of others.

“I wanted my family to experience the joy of giving, rather than just sending money down,” he said. “When you send money, you enrich the lives of the people receiving, but when you go and help, you enrich your own life, too.”

Jacob’s children found the experience so rewarding that they are keen to forego their usual family vacations in order to do the same again. They are planning another volunteer trip in two years’ time. “When we got back, my son brought me his tablet and laptop and said that he thought he should start reading books instead of playing on these.”

Creating community here in Alberta too 

Jacob sits on the ACFA board of directors and also volunteers as a youth group leader. “Ten teens meet twice a month to have fun,” he explained, “but also to learn how to tackle life in a way that will bring joy.” As the industry struggles to encourage young people to stay in rural areas and work in agriculture, these activities help provide youth with strong roots and a sense of having a future in their communities.

In an upcoming post we will speak with board chair, Martin Zuidhoff, who recently visited South America to help build a school.

McDonald’s verified sustainable beef – what does that mean for Canadians?

Sustainability is something of a watchword these days, but when it comes to beef, what does it actually mean?

That’s a question McDonald’s asked themselves when they made a commitment to source all their food and packaging from sustainable sources. Read more

5 must-know facts about the Alberta Cattle Feeders’ Association

Cattle feeders

The Alberta Cattle Feeders’ Association (ACFA) has led the industry for more than four decades. We are the voice of cattle feeders who raise a substantial percentage of beef produced in Alberta.

Here, in five brief points, is a snapshot of who we are, what we do, and why you should be interested:

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Animal health initiatives from Alberta’s cattle feeders

Over the last few weeks, on this blog, we’ve been explaining the different ways cattle feeders are working to build public trust. So far, in this social license series, we’ve talked about animal care, community investment and environmental stewardship. This week we’re taking a look at the fourth ‘pillar’ underpinning our social license to operate: animal health and production.

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How Alberta’s cattle feeders are  protecting the environment

This is the third post in our social license series, in which we’re explaining the different ways cattle feeders are working to build public trust. So far we have talked about animal care and community investment, and this week we’re taking a look at environmental stewardship. Read more

Animal care is a top priority for Alberta’s cattle feeders

In previous blog posts we’ve talked about the ways Alberta cattle feeders are building public trust.

Key to that is confidence that cattle feedlots are operating in an ethical and sustainable way. That’s a priority for Alberta’s cattle feeders, and one we take seriously as the association for the industry. So, this week we’re taking a look at how we ensure that our animals are cared for in the very best way possible. Read more

How Alberta’s cattle feeders are investing in their communities

Last week we explained that Alberta’s cattle feeders are working to build public trust in four distinct ways. This week we’re going to discuss one of those ways: investing in people and communities.

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4 ways Alberta’s cattle feeders are building public trust

In business, success is about more than profits. Successful operations must be balanced with environmental and social responsibility. Alberta’s cattle feeders are no different. They play a vital role in the beef production industry, and the Canadian economy. But that’s not enough…
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Meet the team: Page Stuart, past board chair

This is the first in our ‘Meet the team’ series, and this week we’d like to introduce you to Page Stuart. As she transitions from board chair to past chair, Page remains a powerful asset to our association.

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