CRSB Sustainability Indicators for Beef Production

NEWS RELEASE: Canadian Roundtable for Sustainable Beef seeks final public input on sustainability indicators for beef production

February 28, 2017

Since 2015, the Canadian Roundtable for Sustainable Beef (CRSB) has worked collaboratively with its multi- stakeholder membership to develop sustainability indicators for beef production in Canada. These indicators are part of a verified sustainable beef framework the organization is developing, and reflect what will be measured to verify sustainable practices on individual beef operations. The CRSB would like to thank all those who participated in the first public consultation on these sustainability indicators.

The CRSB is seeking the public’s final comments on an updated draft of the indicators for beef operations, which have been updated based on feedback from the first draft in 2016. This 30-day public consultation will take place from February 28 to April 1, 2017, and will be the final opportunity for public comment. All relevant materials and instructions can be found at http://crsb.ca/public-consultation-english. All comments will be reviewed, and a written response to each comment will be posted on the CRSB website following the consultation. Additional public consultations will be carried out later this spring on a similar series of indicators for processors, and the CRSB looks forward to your feedback.

To read the full press release, click here.

Posted March 3, 2017

Field Technician Position

The Frenchman Wood River Weed Management Area (WMA) is looking to fill the vacancy of Field Technician

Timeframe: April 18, 2017 to October 31, 2017 with option to renew.

Location: Flexible, depending on preference of successful applicant. Geographic range is between RM's of Val Marie and Wood Mountain.

For more information, click here.

Posted March 3, 2017

SFC Project Completed: Grazing Response Index

The Saskatchewan Forage Council and partners have completed a project which demonstrated the Grazing Response Index, a simple, effective way for livestock producers to evaluate grazing impacts on their land by applying the principles of plant response to defoliation.  This project successfully demonstrated the use of the GRI method on Saskatchewan pastures and that the GRI method can be applied to tame pastures, with some modifications required due to the differences in grazing response of tame forages as compared to native grasslands.

This project was supported by the Agricultural Demonstration of Practices and Technologies (ADOPT) initiative under the Canada-Saskatchewan Growing Forward bi-lateral agreement.

To learn more about the project, visit our Completed Projects page or click here to open a pdf file of the final report.

Posted February 4, 2017

Opportunity: Grassland Songbird Research

Looking for owners or lease holders of native rangelands willing to grant access to their properties for a study on grassland bird habitat requirements. The study will take place over 2-3 days at each property between mid-May and Mid-July and will involve observing bird species/numbers and taking measurements of grassland characteristics (e.g., grass height, percent cover, litter volume, shrub density). It WILL NOT involve any capture or handling of wildlife. Vehicles will not be used in pastures unless specific permission is given for designated trails. Native rangelands must have at greater than 50% cover of native grasses with minimal tree cover. The goal is to randomly select one native rangeland within 75 km of all of the following locations: Val Marie, Consul, Maple Creek/Tompkins, Kyle/Beechy, Kerrobert/Kindersley, and Swanson.

For more information or to indicate interest in granting access to a site, contact: Phil Rose (MSc Candidate, University of Regina) at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or 204-730-0855.

Posted February 3, 2017