It is time for prairie farmers and ranchers to come together and chart our path forward in order to improve resilience and remain profitable.
Prairie farmers and ranchers face challenges from the market, weather, public perception, and the potential impact of new regulation—all putting our operations and legacies under added pressure.
We are gathering a group of farmers and ranchers to share their expertise and identify opportunities for our sector to plan for and thrive in the changes that lie ahead, specifically those related to climate change. This important group will represent farm and ranch operations who are concerned about the future of our sector.
Starting in January, the Prairie Farmer & Rancher Forum will gather 36 randomly selected farmers and ranchers from Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba. The Forum will represent diverse views and experiences from different areas on the Prairies.
Participants will contribute their voices and ideas alongside other Forum members to develop recommendations that can be presented to those they think need to hear them—the community that shapes our industry here on the Prairies, across Canada, and in markets around the world.
About the Forum
Forum members will meet over three (3), two-and-a-half (2½) day meetings—once in Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba. Each meeting will be conducive to productive learning, discussion, and deliberation, and ensure Forum members can get to know each other.
Forum members will share and learn with other farmers, ranchers, and respected industry leaders about innovative approaches. Though members will have different views on the issues at hand, the Forum will be an open and friendly space to share success stories, learn about the latest research, and look at ideas that show promise for our operations and the sector in general.
This Forum is an opportunity to share perspectives, expand a dialogue, and develop recommendations to drive the future of our sector—for prairie farmers and ranchers, by prairie farmers and ranchers.
What is the Prairie Farmer & Rancher Forum?
During the Prairie Farmer & Rancher Forum, 36 lottery-selected prairie producers will gather to develop solutions to help protect prairie agriculture’s legacy and shape its future. In order to recruit for the Forum, we:
- Sent out 10,000 invitations in the mail to randomly selected farms and ranches across the Prairies.
- Ran a public outreach campaign so interested producers could register online.
The Forum will meet for three multi-day sessions occurring in January, February, and March. A formal report on the Forum’s work will be will be issued in late spring, 2024.
What is a citizens' assembly?
The Prairie Farmer & Rancher Forum is based on the Citizens’ Assembly model. Citizens’ Assemblies have been used across Canada and internationally to provide detailed guidance to decision-makers concerning complex public issues. The goal of an assembly is to create a well-supported opportunity for representative members of the public or particular community, in this case farmers and ranchers, to participate in an important public decision or planning process related to a specific issue. These panels are typically made up of 30 to 50 randomly selected participants who together represent a range of perspectives, as well as the demographic profile of a specific jurisdiction.
Project leads
Gordon Bacon
Forum Co-Lead
CEO Emeritus
Pulse Canada
Winnipeg, MB
Ian McCreary
Forum Co-Lead
Owner Operator
McCreary Land & Livestock Ltd.
Bladworth, SK
Mary Smillie
Forum Chair
Bladworth, SK
Forum recruitment is complete
To stay in touch and learn about the outcomes of the Forum, please sign up for the Farmers for Climate Solutions newsletter below.