2021 PEACE COUNTRY REGIONAL ZOOM MEETING

Don't Miss the Virtual Peace Country Regional Meeting The October PEACE COUNTRY REGIONAL MEETING held in Grande Prairie will once again be a VIRTUAL ZOOM event. Join us on Saturday, October 16, Starting at 1 PM ! The Agenda "order of go" is not yet finalized, but there will be a brief Update from the BPA & the CBA, four informative presentations, and a Producer Panel. Our Zoom Meeting will allow interaction between the attendees and the presenters. Expected length of time is 2 1/2 hours. Our great line-up of Speakers : • Dr. Roy Lewis - Bison Health (When There is a Shortage of Feed • • Jayson Galbraith – Video Inspection re On-Farm Slaughter • • Ed Mierzowski – Bison Self-Feeder (he Designed and Built) • • Brennin Jack – Sales Avenues for Cow/Calf Operators You MUST Register in advance to join this meeting, Please click on the following link : https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZErc-6hpjkuG9Wr6D7eqrmfIhgrkX5BPrx9 After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting. So circle your Calendar, and schedule it in your IPhone - we look forward to "keeping in touch" with you on the 16th !

WILDROSE 2021 VIRTUAL CONVENTION

It was VIRTUAL & still..... it was another great Wildrose !! With thanks to all the incredible support from our bison stakeholders and Sponsors, the 2021 Virtual WILDROSE BISON CONVENTION & SALE was deemed a SUCCESS ! First - Acknowledgment to the Sponsors who stepped up, even though it was a Virtual Event ! PLATINUM Sponsors GOLD Sponsors SILVER Sponsors BRONZE Sponsors Friends of the Industry ________________________________________________________ Gift Card Donators __________________________________ Adam Bison Ranch * Big Bend Bison Ranch * DJR Farms Downey Ranching Co. * Maple Roo Bison * Sharif Fahmy Vintage Bison Ranch * YR Bison Ranch AND onto the WILDROSE CONVENTION ! 131 People Registered in advance for the Wildrose Zoom Convention, and over the afternoon of Saturday, March 6th 104 People turned on their computers to join the Zoom Convention ! BPA Chair, Steven Lunty opened with a heartfelt "Welcome" and a brief Update on the activities of the Bison Producers of Alberta over the last year. CBA Chair, Les Kroeger was up next with an Update on what the Canadian Bison Association has been involved in for 2020, including the notation that April 1st was the date the website would be up for the 2022 International Bison Convention (which will be held in Saskatoon, SK). The Special Speaker Presentations by Barry Yaremico and Wes Olson were Beyond Amazing and Informative ! BARRY YAREMICO spoke on "HELPING to PREVENT BISON LOSS - DIFFERENT FORMS of VARIOUS TRACE MINERALS NEEDED by BISON" As one long-time bison producer said in the Chat Room - " I had no idea how much I didn't know - Learned SO Much from this talk". WES OLSON spoke on the "THE ECOLOGICAL ROLE of THE BISON" He truly did take us on a journey through the hidden lives of the insects, plants and other wildlife on lands shared with Bison, complete with amazing photographs and drawings. "It is difficult to comprehend the wealth of knowledge Wes has in regard to all forms of wildlife, I don't know of anyone like him." Up Next was the PRODUCER PANEL : - Neil McAllister, Elk Valley Ranches " How We Finish Our Bison " - Ivan Smith, Big Bend Bison Ranch " Movement of Bison at This Time " - Brennin Jack, Jack Auction Group "Getting the Best Prices in a Virtual Auction" Steven facilitated this Panel, relaying the questions entered in the Chat Rom and ensured all three speakers responded with the answers. As in the Peace Country Regional Zoom Meeting last October, the Producer Panel was informative and engaging for the participants. Then it was Time for the AGM. It was a basic Agenda, but there were again changes this year to the Board of Directors. Greg Kjemhus from the Peace Country Region had completed his third term of three years and was stepping down. Neil McAllister with the Central Region was stepping down after completing his second term of three years. As it was Virtual - Chair Steven Lunty could only verbally thank Greg and Neil for their years of being on the Board (no hearty handshake),but we did show on the screen the beautiful wooden plaque with a bison design painted on it that would be sent to Greg, and a unique ceramic stein with a bison on it that would be sent to Neil as their "thank you" gifts. Introductions were made for the two Nominees for the now vacant positions - Randy Nichol of Beaverlodge for the Peace Country Region and Vince Roes of Tofield for the Central Region. As there were no other nominations, and none from the floor, Randy and Vince became the two new Directors by acclimation. The Virtual Wildrose Convention ended by 5:30 to give people a chance to register with Jack Auction Group for the next event starting at 7:00 - The Auction of the Gift Certificates & Gift Cards donated by Sponsors - (a special thank you to the winning bidders for their support to the BPA) Followed by : Jack Auction Group conducting a Virtual Sale of Bison Breeding Animals Consigned by 15 Producers for the Wildrose ! And Wow !! Jack Auction Group knows How to "Have a Sale" ! 32 Bison sold for a Total of $160,875 (Average of $5,027 per Head) Congratulations to Big Country Bison (Derek Shankowski) for purchasing the 2018 Bull from Irish Creek Bison (Justin Dorey) with the winning bid of $12,000. Contact Linda at 780-955-1995 or linda(at)bisoncentre.com for a complete list of the Auction with the Consignors, Class, Weights, Selling Price and Buyers. ________________________________________ _______________________________________