Western Agribition barn roof collapses

Apr 08, 2013

Snow, ice believed to be the culprit in roof collapse

Part of the Canadian Western Agribition barn roof collapsed on April 3. A section of the roof at Regina’s Evraz Place collapsed which Agribition rents for its show. Reports say that no one was in the building at the time of the collapse. The damaged area is estimated to be as big as 12 by 12 meters.

Officials suspect that heavy snow and ice on the roof of Stockman’s Arena is likely to blame for the collapse, which runs adjacent to the Commercial Cattle Barn. The building made of steel was upgraded fall of 2012, to enhance the accommodations for the cattle and bison events.

Some nearby office staff – the Canadian Cowboys’ Association and Saskatchewan Bison Association were evacuated for safety precautions.

The extent of the damage remains unknown; the area has been closed off for safety reasons which will also allow for a full investigation. Officials have said that any repairs will be made by show time.

Video: Evolution of Beef Cattle Farming

The Clear Conversations podcast took to the road for a special episode recorded in Nashville during CattleCon, bringing listeners straight into the heart of the cattle industry. Host Tracy Sellers welcomed rancher Steve Wooten of Beatty Canyon Ranch in Colorado for a wide-ranging discussion that blended family history and sustainability, particularly as it relates to the future of beef production.

Sustainability emerged as a central theme of the conversation, a word that Wooten acknowledges can mean very different things depending on who you ask. For him, sustainability starts with the soil. Healthy soil produces healthy grass, which supports efficient cattle capable of producing year after year with minimal external inputs. It’s an approach that equally considers vegetation, animal efficiency, and long-term profitability.

That philosophy aligned naturally with Wooten’s involvement in the U.S. Roundtable for Sustainable Beef, where he served as a representative for the Colorado Cattlemen’s Association. The roundtable brings together the entire beef supply chain—from producers to retailers—along with universities, NGOs, and allied industries. Its goal is not regulation, Wooten emphasized, but collaboration, shared learning, and continuous improvement.