Gearing up for the Canadian Beef Industry Conference, people from all parts of the industry set off to see some leading operations in Alberta. 

First stop on the tour held Monday, August 12 was the 2019 Alberta Beef Producers Environmental Stewardship reciepients, Coulee Crest Farms, located East of Bowden.

The fourth generation operation is truly a family affair, run by Randy and Sandra Radau along with their son Luke who recently returned from the University of Lethbridge after studying agriculture.

Randy's Father, Frank, is still involved in the operation and recently celebrated his 90th birthday.

They run both a commercial and purebred Hereford cattle herd and grow cereal and oilseed crops, hay and barley silage.

On the tour, vistors were treated to a walk atop Radau's pasture land in Spruce Coulee, which has been deemed an environmentally significant area by Red Deer County.

Son Luke says the cattle are grazed in the coulee with other wildlife such as mule deer and elk, with recent sightings of a grizzly bear.

Sandra and Luke Radau got a chance to show off their farm to guests from across North America this week as part of the Canadian Beef Industry Conference.

He told the bus a large part of Coulee Crest Farms' nomination by Ducks Unlimted for the Environmental Stewardship Award was for their work with the national organization on their preservation of a roughly 30 acre wetland.

"After establishing the berm with Ducks Unlimited, we noticed a rise in the water levels which increased the duck population, and also provided better quality for our cattle in the summer."

The tour group filled two large buses with participants from across the Country, as well as parts of the United States. 

"It was really fun to see people from all across Canada come to our operation and see what sustainable practices we are doing like many other farms in Alberta," Luke said following the tour. 

Other stops included W.A. Ranches near Cochrane, which was recently gifted to the University of Calgary Faculty of Vetrinary Medicine last year, and Ballco Feeders near Blackie.

The annual Canadian Beef Industry Conference runs in Calgary at the Stampede Grounds from Tuesday, August 13 to Thursday, August 15.

Read more: Coulee Crest Farms Takes Home Environmental Stewardship Award

 

Send your news tips story ideas and comments to jgiles@goldenwestradio.com