Anne Wasko,
Eastend, Sask, is a Market Analyst for Gateway Livestock Exchange based in Taber, Alberta. She is also the President of Cattle Trends Inc, a market analysis company for the beef industry. Prior to joining Gateway Livestock Exchange, Wasko was the Senior Market Analyst for Canfax, a division of the Canadian Cattlemen's Association, for 21 years providing members with market information and analysis. Wasko was also a volunteer with the Calgary Stampede for over 20 years and sat on the Statistics Canada Advisory Committee for Agriculture.
Brenda Tjaden,
was raised on an egg and grain farm near Sperling, Manitoba, Canada. She completed her undergraduate and master’s degrees in Agricultural Economics at the University of Manitoba in Winnipeg, went on to a career in the international commodity grain trade, and became one of Canadian agriculture’s leading market analysts. A long-time lover of nature and political history, Brenda eventually felt called to seek a new professional path. In 2016 she left conventional agriculture to establish new value chains for foods that have a positive impact on the environment. With a focus on monetizing the outcomes of regenerative agriculture, Brenda helps farms and food companies with strategic guidance, transition planning, economic forecasting, and direct marketing. She lives and works from a small farm in the woods near Bird’s Hill provincial park in Manitoba.
Willie Van Solkema,
Willie has a long history of senior management experience in the Canadian beef packing industry. This management practice dates back to the mid-1980's with Canada Packers in Winnipeg and Calgary, through to Managing Director at Retail Ready Foods in 2018. The operation and manageral expertise includes Canadian Business Manager at Cargill Foods in High River, 1990-2004; President of sales/operations at XL Foods, 2004-2009; and President JBS Foods Canada, 2012-2014. Willie now works with the meat industry through his consulting firm, WVS Consulting.