Pre-Conference Tour
Monday, November 9, 2026 - 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
8:00 a.m. - Meet at CFGA registration table for 8:00 a.m. check in.
8:15 a.m. - Shuttle Leaves Hotel at 8:15 a.m.
Stop 1: Doug and Tim Wray - Wray Ranch, Airdrie
Stop 2: Olds College - Olds
Stop 3: Barr-Ag - Olds
Shuttle bus transportation is provided for Conference registrants to/from the Hotel.
Attendees must pre-register for tour.
Lunch provided.
4:00 p.m. - Conference Registration/Check In Opens
7:00 - 9:00 p.m. - Welcome Reception
Location: Plaza 1 & 2
Agenda is subject to change. All times are Mountain Time.
Location, unless otherwise noted, is the Plaza on the main floor.
Breakfast, breaks and lunch served in the Plaza (where the tradeshow can be found), unless otherwise noted.
CFGA Conference Day 1
Tuesday, November 10, 2026
7:30 - 8:45 a.m. - Breakfast Provided
8:30 - 6:00 p.m. - Conference Trade Show, Exhibits & Academic Poster Showcase
Durable Systems
8:45 - 8:50 a.m. - Welcome Messages
8:50 - 9:20 a.m. - Welcome from the Minister of Agriculture Minister Tara Sawyer
Alberta Ministry of Agriculture and Irrigation
9:20 - 10:10 a.m. - Keynote: Systems that last: Foundations of resilient agriculture and environment
John Pattison-Williams, University of Alberta, Pattison Consulting
Agriculture and environmental decision-making are inextricably linked on the Canadian prairie landscape. Yet conversations in the current marketplace of agricultural decision-making are often framed in direct opposition to environmental conservation. And conversations in the current marketplace of environmental decision-making are often framed in direct opposition to agricultural productivity. This presentation will challenge this binary framing using the lens of an agrarian land ethic. Using personal experience as a farmer, professional agrologist and academic researcher, John will explore the concepts of forage productivity, data management, economics and policy for the future of farming and the environment. These insights will then lead to recommendations to ensure a firm foundation of a resilient agricultural industry on the landscape that meets the needs of current and future generations.
10:10 - 10:50 a.m. - Built to last: The three factors that underpin farm success
Heather Watson, Farm Management Canada
Drawing on Farm Management Canada’s national research and work with farmers across the country, this session will look beyond the field to explore the business practices, decision-making, and human factors that help farms navigate uncertainty and build long-term farm resilience. From planning and risk management to finances, farm transition and leadership, participants will discover practical ways to confront change with confidence in this interactive learning session.
10:50 - 11:00 a.m. - Q&A with Speakers - Sponsored by Ducks Unlimited Canada
11:00 - 11:15 a.m. - Break
11:15 - 11:40 a.m. - Bringing bison back: Building meaningful partnerships with Indigenous communities
Michelle Sandercock, National Circle for Indigenous Agriculture & Food (NCIAF)
Michelle will briefly introduce the Indigenous Prairie Bison Initiative (IPBI) and what NCIAF is hearing from communities. Her presentation will then focus on where the expertise in the room can support Indigenous communities in moving from aspiration to sustainable, community-led herds.
Key takeaways will be:
• Bison restoration balances cultural, ecological and economic goals. Success looks different for every community.
• Readiness matters: Land, water, infrastructure, leadership commitment and long-term herd goals come first.
• We don’t need to duplicate existing expertise. We need to connect communities to the right expertise at the right time.
• True partnership starts with listening, understanding community priorities and building relationships before offering solutions.
• Community perspectives on what Indigenous partners want grazing specialists, researchers and industry to understand.
Ultimately, Michelle says she would like people to leave understanding where their expertise fits and how to build trusted, long-term partnerships that support Indigenous-led bison and grassland stewardship.
11:40 - 12:10 p.m. - Cow-calf cost of production network: Winning your own race
Brenna Grant, CanFax
The highest-profit cow-calf producers are not winning because they receive higher prices or achieve dramatically better production. They win because they manage costs, labour and resources more effectively. Drawing on data from the Canadian Cow-Calf Cost of Production Network, Brenna’s presentation explores what separates the most profitable cow-calf operations from the rest. Discover practical strategies for managing costs, balancing productivity with profitability and investment decisions that fit the context of the operation. Learn how to use your own numbers to strengthen your business and prepare for the next cattle cycle.
12:10 - 12:25 p.m. - Q&A with Speakers
12:25 - 1:30 p.m. - Lunch Provided
1:30 - 1:40 p.m. - Welcome Back and Sponsorship Message
1:40 - 2:15 p.m. - Exploring the role of Canada’s forage seed industry
Sylvia Megens, DLF Canada
The forage seed industry plays a foundational role in Canadian agriculture, providing the genetics that support productive pastures, resilient forage stands, and healthy grazing systems. In this presentation, Sylvia Megens of DLF Pickseed explores the importance of the forage seed sector, its contributions to producers and the broader agricultural economy, and how continued innovation in forage breeding is helping meet the challenges of changing climates, evolving production systems, and growing sustainability expectations.
2:15 - 2:40 p.m. - The Hoyt Report: Latest insights into global forage demand, export trends, and emerging futures opportunities
Josh Callen, The Hoyt Report
Josh’s presentation provides an in-depth look at current trends shaping the U.S. alfalfa and grass hay sectors, from dairy-driven domestic demand to evolving export flows. It examines regional price dynamics, production shifts, and the influence of factors such as currency exchange, shipping logistics, and global feed demand.
2:40 - 2:55 p.m. - Q&A with Speakers
2:55 - 3:15 p.m. - Break
3:15 - 4:15 p.m. - Canadian Land Systems Management Panel: Diverse management strategies for significant Canadian landscapes
Provincial representatives from BC, AB, SK and ON
Bringing together perspectives from across Canada’s grazing, forage and agricultural landscapes, this panel explores how land managers are adapting to changing conditions while supporting productive, resilient working lands. Representatives from community pastures, range management organizations, ranching and farming will share their approaches to land stewardship, discuss emerging opportunities and challenges and reflect on the producer supports and management strategies needed for the future. Featuring Greg Taggart (Society for Range Management, BC), Wolter van de Kamp (Alberta rancher and Chair of ARECA), Miles Heck (Saskatchewan farmer) and Don Hargrave (Chair, Association of Community Pastures, Ontario).
4:15 - 4:45 p.m. - Policy Panel: Beyond the fence line
Policy, economics and grassland stewardship leaders
4:45 - 5:00 p.m. - Closing Thoughts
7:00 - 8:30 p.m. - The CFGA Leadership Award Dinner - Horizon Ballroom
Reflections from Kathmandu: Insights from the Global Gathering of Pastoralist Women in the International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists (IYRP)
featuring Tess Ryder
Agenda is subject to change. All times are Mountain Time.
Location, unless otherwise noted, is the Plaza on the main floor.
Breakfast, breaks and lunch served in the Plaza (where the tradeshow can be found), unless otherwise noted.
CFGA Conference Day 2
Wednesday, November 11, 2026
7:30 - 8:45 a.m. - Breakfast Provided
8:30 - 5:30 p.m. - Conference Trade Show, Exhibits & Academic Poster Showcase
8:00 - 8:40 a.m. - CFGA Operational Update
Cedric MacLeod, CFGA Executive Director
8:40 - 8:50 a.m. - Highlights from Alberta
Agricultural Research and Extension Council of Alberta (ARECA)
Durable Environment
8:50 - 9:00 a.m. - Welcome Messages
9:00 - 9:45 a.m. - Life in the underground: How soil microbes influence forage growth and landscape resilience
Isaac Heida, University of Alberta, CAT-G Project
In his session, Isaac will explore the hidden world of soil microbes and the critical role they play in supporting healthy, productive landscapes. Drawing on research from the CAT-G Project, Isaac will examine how soil microbial communities influence nutrient cycling, plant growth, water use and ecosystem function. Attendees will gain insight into the connections between below-ground biology and above-ground outcomes and learn how healthy soil ecosystems contribute to long-term forage productivity, environmental resilience and the durability of grassland agricultural systems.
9:45 - 10:25 a.m. - Increasing productivity on fields affected by salinity
Ken Wall, Forage Specialist
Salinity affects millions of acres across the Canadian Prairies, reducing crop yields and limiting productivity. Because salinity is fundamentally a water management challenge, many producers turn to forage crops to make these acres more productive. In his session, Ken will explore how forages can help reclaim saline land, improve production and compete with troublesome weeds such as foxtail barley and downy brome. Drawing on results from a three-year study comparing 10 forage treatments at two saline sites, Ken will share practical insights for producers looking to get more from salt-affected fields.
10:25 - 10:40 a.m. - Q&A with Speakers
10:40 - 10:55 a.m. - Break
10:55 - 11:05 a.m. - Remembrance Day Message & Pause
11:05 - 11:30 a.m. - Canadian economic outlook
Aaron Goertzen, BMO
During his presentation, Aaron will discuss the outlook for the Canadian economy in an environment of heightened trade uncertainty, touching on growth, the labour market, interest rates and the Canadian dollar.
11:30 - 12:30 p.m. - Wrestling with the future of forage crops
Daniel H. Putnam, UC Davis
What will it take to keep perennial forages thriving in a rapidly changing world? In this forward-looking presentation, Dan Putnam explores the major forces shaping the future of forage systems, from advances in genetics and management to evolving climate pressures, water availability, technology, and market dynamics. Looking at defining challenges and the opportunities for forage production, Dan will examine what producers, industry leaders, researchers, and policymakers should be anticipating in the years ahead.
12:30 - 1:30 p.m. - Lunch Provided
Concurrent Session 1: Durable Futures
1:30 - 1:45 p.m. - Welcome Back and Sponsorship Message
1:45 - 2:35 p.m. - Agri-technology panel: Emerging tools shaping tomorrow’s forage and grassland systems
Representatives from agriculture equipment and technology companies
Technology is rapidly changing the way producers manage land, livestock, forage, and farm operations. This fast-paced panel brings together representatives from across the ag-tech spectrum, including virtual fencing, decision-support tools, and farm management platforms. Each panelist will begin with a short overview of their technology, approach, and vision for helping producers meet real-world challenges. Following these introductions, the discussion will explore the opportunities, practical applications, and realities of adopting technology on Canadian farms and ranches, with an emphasis on improving efficiency, decision-making, and resilience while keeping producers’ needs at the center of innovation.
2:35 - 3:05 p.m. - Risk and reward: Characterizing patterns of conversion risk for Prairie grasslands in support of effective conservation
Bronwyn Rayfield, Carleton University
Bronwyn’s talk will explore how stemming the loss of grasslands in the Prairies requires reliable information about where they are most at risk. Many types of factors, including landscape context, soils, topography, climate and socio-economics, drive grassland loss, but we lack understanding of how conversion risks extend across the Prairies and which factors are most important. As part of Tomorrow’s Prairies, a collaborative research project examining and forecasting grassland conversion and its consequences, Bronwyn and her colleagues assembled Canadian datasets to spatially characterize potential drivers of conversion and modelled conversion risk at 30 m resolution based on observed land-use changes from 2010 to 2020. She will share how the team examined conversion to annual cropland and settlement separately for native and tame (cultivated perennial forage) grasslands, assessed the relative importance of different drivers of conversion, and mapped the spatial distribution of risk across the Prairies. Attendees will gain insights into how targeting conservation efforts where grasslands are most at risk can help yield greater rewards for nature, climate and Canadians.
3:05 - 3:15 p.m. - Q&A with Speakers
3:15 - 3:35 p.m. - Break - Sponsored by Nature United
Concurrent Session 2: Durable People
Location: Garden Courts
1:30 - 1:40 p.m. - Welcome back and sponsor message
1:40 - 2:15 p.m. - Prairie grazing leadership: Grazing clubs across the grasslands
Grazing club representatives from Chinook Applied Research Association (CARA)
Join a candid conversation with producers who participate in grazing clubs as they share how peer-to-peer learning, on-farm discussions and knowledge exchange have influenced their grazing management decisions and long-term business strategies. Moderated by the CARA Grazing Club Program Coordinator, this panel will explore the practical value of grazing clubs, lessons learned and the real-world impacts these networks have had on participating operations. Hear firsthand how collaboration and shared experience help producers build confidence, adapt management practices and achieve their goals.
2:15 - 2:45 p.m. - The human dimensions of grassland resilience: From producer decisions to meaningful engagement
Brooke McWherter, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Long-term grassland resilience depends not only on ecological and management practices but also on the people making decisions about these landscapes. Drawing on research examining producer decision-making in grassland systems, this presentation will explore the social, economic and contextual factors influencing management decisions and what these insights mean for extension and engagement. Findings from the Canadian Forage and Grassland Association’s (CFGA) learning and knowledge transfer initiative will provide additional perspectives on current outreach approaches and opportunities for strengthening engagement. The presentation will highlight the role of social sciences in understanding localized contexts and designing responsive, meaningful engagement strategies that support producers and long-term grassland resilience.
2:45 - 3:05 p.m. - Perspectives on resilience: Mongolian grasslands
John Pattison-Williams, University of Alberta, Pattison Consulting
What can Canada’s grazing landscapes learn from one of the world’s oldest pastoral cultures? Drawing on firsthand experiences from a recent trip to Mongolia, John Pattison-Williams shares observations from the country’s vast grasslands and the herding communities that depend on them. Through an international lens, this presentation explores the resilience of both people and landscapes, highlighting how Mongolian herders adapt to environmental, economic, and social challenges while stewarding grassland ecosystems.
3:05 - 3:15 p.m. - Q&A with Speakers
3:15 - 3:35 p.m. - Break
3:35 - 4:10 p.m. - Closing Keynote: AAFC’s Forage and Livestock Systems - Looking to the Future
Holly Mayer, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
Holly’s presentation will focus on AAFC’s path forward for forage research and how that research makes its way to producers.
4:10 - 4:30 p.m. - Conference Closing Remarks
No dinner provided.
7:30 - 10:00 p.m. - Evening social – Connecting those who have an impact on forage, pasture and grasslands
RSVP only – food & drink provided
Agenda is subject to change. All times are Mountain Time.
Location, unless otherwise noted, is the Plaza on the main floor.
Breakfast, breaks and lunch served in the Plaza (where the tradeshow can be found), unless otherwise noted.
Post-Conference Workshops
For more information on the Workshops, click here!
Thursday, November 12, 2026
7:30 - 8:45 a.m. - Breakfast Provided
Advancing Canada’s Grasslands Together - Hybrid Session
Location: Garden Courts
8:30 - 4:30 p.m. - To register, click: https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/FB0fX341TG63iM2rcfAWzA
Technology Tinder - In-Person Only
Location: Horizon Ballroom
8:30 - 4:30 p.m. - Registration available via conference registration
Breaks & Lunch Provided
Agenda is subject to change. All times are Mountain Time.
Location, unless otherwise noted, is the Plaza on the main floor.
Breakfast, breaks and lunch served in the Plaza (where the tradeshow can be found), unless otherwise noted.