Kansas hosts Canadian beef genetics trade team

By Scout Nelson

In late October, the Kansas Department of Agriculture (KDA) played host to a Canadian beef genetics trade team, emphasizing the significance of international collaborations in agriculture. The team, comprising representatives from Saskatchewan and Alberta, showcased a keen interest in a range of cattle breeds including Black and Red Angus, Charolais, Hereford, and Simmental.

The visit was part of a meticulously planned itinerary that took the team across several key cattle breeding operations in Kansas. Their journey began at McCurry Angus Ranch in Burrton and included stops at prominent ranches like Bar S Ranch in Paradise, Schrader Ranch in Wells, and several others, culminating at the American Royal livestock show in Kansas City.

These visits provided the team with insights into the innovative and quality-driven approaches of Kansas’s seedstock operations.

Shari Leachman from Big Gully Farms in Saskatchewan noted the professionalism and hospitality encountered during the visits. She commended the Kansas operations for their high standards and commitment to enhancing customer profitability through innovation and service.

The trade mission not only aimed to showcase Kansas’s prowess in beef genetics but also to strengthen the trade relationship with Canada. Suzanne Ryan-Numrich, KDA’s international trade director, highlighted that this mission was a follow-up to an earlier outbound mission and underscored the growing interest and potential for collaboration in the beef industry across borders.

These efforts by the KDA to connect Kansas beef genetics producers with international markets are supported by the U.S. Livestock Genetics Export, Inc. (USLGE) and funded through the USDA Market Access Program.

This initiative reflects KDA’s broader mission to support all agriculture sectors, facilitating domestic and international market expansions for producers. 

This cross-border partnership not only enriches Kansas's agricultural community but also opens avenues for future collaborations, enhancing global networks and introducing Kansas genetics into international markets, thus driving forward the state's agricultural economy.

Photo Credit:kansas-department-of-agriculture