The Canadian Forage and Grassland Association (CFGA) is pleased to offer two engaging, full‑day workshops on Thursday, Nov. 12, at this year’s conference at the Best Western Calgary Premier Plaza in Calgary, Alberta, Nov. 9 to 12. Both sessions run from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., with breaks and lunch provided.

Participants can choose between the in‑person, hands‑on Technology Tinder Workshop or the hybrid Advancing Canada’s Grasslands Together Workshop. The summaries below will help you decide which option best aligns with your interests and goals for the day.

Technology Tinder Workshop

The Technology Tinder Workshop is a new, in‑person learning opportunity offering a fast‑paced, practical way for producers and extension advisors to explore emerging forage and grazing technologies using a playful “matchmaking” format. Participants will compare tools, test practicality and identify technologies that best fit their real‑world grazing challenges.

The day begins with rapid‑fire tech pitches and a swipe‑card icebreaker before moving into immersive Deep Dive Sessions, where attendees rotate through six technology tables for demos, producer reality checks and live scoring. Featured tools include John Deere Operations Centre, Agrivanna, Measur Drones, Rangeview and AgribotAI, providing a broad look at innovations shaping forage and grazing management.

After lunch, participants will hear three short, future‑focused talks from Brenda Ralston (Lakeland College), Brianna Elliot (Olds College) and Stacey Domolewski (BCRC). The afternoon continues with the Love It, Leave It, Dream It producer panel, where ranchers share candid insights on what works, what doesn’t and what they wish existed. The workshop concludes with a Commitment Wall, giving attendees a chance to cast final votes for technology adoption and identify one action they’ll take over the next six months to support tech adoption in their operation or region.

Registration is free for all CFGA Annual Conference participants, with a $25 workshop‑only fee for those attending just the Technology Tinder Workshop. Attendees can view the full agenda and register online.

Advancing Canada’s Grasslands Together Workshop

The Advancing Canada’s Grasslands Together Workshop will bring together participants from policy, extension, conservation, industry and research to strengthen shared understanding of Canada’s grassland systems and help shape coordinated national pathways forward.

The session explores why this conversation is needed now, including the alignment of national grassland science, stewardship and policy momentum. Participants will learn how the Tomorrow’s Prairies and Grassland Learning & Knowledge Hub (GLKH) projects complement one another through baselines and learning pathways, modelling and mobilization, and indicators and practitioner relevance. Emerging insights will be shared on grassland condition, pressures, biodiversity, carbon, socio‑economic drivers and projected change to 2050, along with opportunities for producers, extension agents, NGOs, governments, Indigenous Nations and researchers to contribute to final‑year project activities.

The agenda includes project updates, a plenary discussion on where Canada’s grasslands are heading and a series of facilitated roundtables focused on indicators and knowledge mobilization, industry pathways and producer‑centred solutions, and conservation, policy and cross‑jurisdiction collaboration. Throughout the day, participants will work toward identifying shared priorities, immediate actions for the next 12 to 18 months and the key partners needed to advance national grassland stewardship.

This hybrid workshop is free to attend but pre-registration is required. For online participation, register here. To participate in person, email [email protected].

Register now for CFGA’s 2026 conference

Time is running out to register for the CFGA’s 17th Annual Conference which is being delivered in partnership with the Agriculture Research and Extension Council of Alberta (ARECA). This year’s event will bring together producers, researchers, industry leaders and policymakers from across Canada to explore the theme Canadian Forage Systems: Designing for Durability. It will focus on building resilient, productive and sustainable forage and grassland systems that can withstand climate pressures, market volatility and evolving land‑use demands.

Along with the post-conference workshops, the conference agenda features a day of farm tours; evening receptions, including the Leadership Award Dinner; an industry trade show and two full days of educational sessions, cutting‑edge research presentations, practical grazing and forage management insights and cross‑sector discussions linking science, policy and on‑the‑ground experience.

Visit the CFGA conference website for more information or Register now to reserve your spot in this not-to-be missed event for Canada’s forage and grassland sectors.