by Government of Alberta | Oct 20, 2016
Mr. Cornelius (Cor) Van Raay’s vision has helped mold the modern day feedlot, and set the bar in the Canadian cattle feeding business. Starting with just 50 head of cattle, the business grew to be one of the largest feedlot operations in Canada. As an innovator and early adopter of technology, Mr. Van Raay implemented best practices and developed unprecedented operational efficiencies in large-scale feedlot operations, while focusing on sound environmental stewardship and improved animal handling techniques.
Mr. Van Raay’s “big picture” thinking, intellectual curiosity, and strong work ethic helped launch several successful agri-businesses including Butte Grain Merchants Ltd., Western Tractor,...Read more
by Top Crop Manager | Aug 4, 2016
August 4, 2016 – Van Raay Paskal Farms Ltd. (VRP Farms) is located near the rural Alberta town of Picture Butte – about 240 km south of Calgary with a population of 1,650. VRP Farms owns and operates seven feedlots housing up to 130,000 head of cattle and crops more than 22,000 acres that produce barley, corn and wheat silage/roughage for the feedlot cattle. Essential to the farm’s success are its approximately 170 employees.
“It’s a win – win situation,” explains Jolayne Farn, human resource manager for VRP Farms. “VRP Farms has created a pathway to citizenship for foreign workers so...Read more
by CTV Lethbridge | May 13, 2016
The generous donor who gave a $50,000 cheque to support Fort McMurray Wildfire victims at last nights #AlbertaStrong charity BBQ in Picture Butte has reached out to CTV with a statement.
President of Van Raay Paskal Farms Ltd. Rick Paskal says, “Our thoughts are with all of the residents and heroes of Fort McMurray as they confront the devastation of the wildfire. We are a livestock company with strong roots in Alberta and we want to do all we can…
Victims of this wildfire still need help, so we urge all livestock producers in Alberta to do all they can.”
On top of...Read more
by GrainsWest Magazine | Aug 24, 2015
FEELING THE PAIN OF CANADA’S TEMPORARY FOREIGN WORKERS
BY SCOTT ROLLANS
Cristo Hurtado remembers his first visit to Southern Alberta’s Paskal Cattle Company in 2006. The young veterinarian had travelled from his home in Monterrey, Mexico, to explore the possibility of pursuing a new life in Canada as a temporary foreign worker.
“We came in May,” recalled Hurtado. “It wasn’t green yet, but there was no snow at all. [Company president] Rick Paskal told me, ‘All this is going to be white in winter.’ I couldn’t even picture that in my head.”
Nine years (and nine Canadian winters) later, that snowy landscape has become home...Read more
by Stan Ashbee - Sunny South News | Jun 23, 2015
Picture Butte community members and residents from Lethbridge County and surrounding area are gearing up to walk just over 12 kilometres from Iron Springs to Picture Butte June 6 for a cancer fundraising walk.
“We will be walking from Huntsville School to the Picture Butte Community Centre — along Highway 25. Then we will be having a barbecue and then a live auction, a raffle and some entertainment,” said Sarah Marshall, assistant controller at the Paskal Cattle Company in Picture Butte and organizer of the inaugural event. Marshall added there may possibly even be a silent auction.
Marshall explained Rick Paskal came...Read more