We’ve Got Something Exciting in the Works.

ACER is creating resources, courses, and events to help you become a more effective communicator in agriculture.

Whether you call it knowledge mobilization, science communication, extension, or knowledge translation, the goal is the same: getting information off the shelf and into the right hands.

If you are passionate about maximizing impact through good communication, join our new waitlist. By joining you’ll be the first to know when new courses, resources, and events launch, giving you a sneak peak before they’re opened to others.

The Paradox of Beef Producers: Villains or Vital Stewards?

This month, Erin Wynands unpacks the paradox facing beef producers in climate debates, drawing on research by Maggie McCormick at the University of Guelph.

Producers are often portrayed as environmental villains—responsible for emissions, land use, and water impacts—yet they are also expected to be ecological stewards, safeguarding biodiversity, soil health, and water quality. This dual framing not only shapes public discourse and policy, but also affects how producers see themselves as “good farmers.”

𝗧𝗟;𝗗𝗥

⚖️ Beef producers are caught in a contradictory narrative: both blamed for climate impacts and tasked with driving solutions.

🌱 Not all beef is created equal: production systems vary widely in their environmental outcomes.

🗣️ Villain framing risks alienating producers: making collaboration and innovation harder.

🏛️ Structural forces (markets, policies, consumer demand) shape choices as much as individual management decisions.

👩‍🌾 Redefining the “good farmer” identity to include stewardship alongside productivity could support more climate-friendly practices.

🤝 Progress depends on shifting from caricatures to collaboration: creating space for complexity and shared solutions.

Read the piece on our Linkedin below!

What Are We Reading This Month?

Enhancing movement opportunity to support behavioral needs for movement-restricted cattle through different conditions of access to exercise

In a nutshell: This study looked at how giving tied dairy cows some exercise space outside their stalls affects their movement and behaviour. Researchers tested different conditions, such as indoor vs. outdoor areas, outing length, space size, and ground type, with 141 cows. They found that one hour of exercise per day boosted cows’ daily steps by about 53%, especially when the area was outdoors, larger, or available for longer. During exercise, cows mostly stood still, but they also explored and socialized, showing that even short daily exercise has meaningful benefits for tied cattle.

Real-World Resources

Proudly supporting the Canadian Dairy Hub

Over the past year our team has been supporting Lactanet and the Dairy Farmers of Canada | Les Producteurs laitiers du Canada to develop the Canadian Dairy Hub - A one-stop-shop for dairy resources with a focus on producers and additional tools for the broader industry.

We’ve had a great time hosting subject matter expert videos and webinars, and producing technical fact sheets and key message infographics on a number of topics - from welfare and our Canadian Code of Practice, to reproduction, transition cow management, and much more.

A huge congratulations and shoutout to Vicki Brisson and the Lactanet team and the DFC team including Émie Désilets and Nicole Sillett (among many others). Excited to see where this dairy platform can go and make sure to stay tuned for more in the Canadian Dairy Hub!