About 1.3 million beef cattle are raised in Manitoba each year. This week is 'Beef Week' and the Provincial Exhibition and Manitoba Beef Producers are collaborating to host the Manitoba Livestock Expo and MBP AGM in Brandon.
   
Provincial Exhibition General Manager Karen Oliver says apart from hundreds of cattle producers attending the event, there is also a large educational component to it. "We have a program called Moomania where we have about three hundred and fifty kids coming to learn about he beef industry," says Oliver. Those kids are between grades three to five. "And then we're also working on the Amazing Rangeland Adventure with folks from Ag In The Classroom and we'll have over two hundred kids in the high school age group. We want to make sure that they understand about agricultural production, beef production, how important it is to our province and they can be the ambassadors for us and hopefully the next generation of producers."

Oliver says there are more than ten thousand beef producers in Manitoba. She notes sometimes the work they do is invisible to those going to the grocery store and buying beef. "We want them to recognize how important that is to our economy and how important it is to have that healthy nutritious food supply and support the industry. Go out and buy some beef, have a beef dinner and appreciate your neighbours who are raising it."