Influencing the Influencers: Social Media Content Creators see Ranching through a New Lens

The tour group after getting “suited and booted” at Lammle’s

In an ideal world, every Canadian would have the chance to visit a ranch and see the care Canadian beef producers offer their livestock and land. Of course, the logistics of making that happen are not realistic, but that’s where social media influencers come in. By inviting a few sought out content creators with big followings in key demographics, one ranch tour can reach so many more people.

The Public and Stakeholder Engagement team hosted the second annual Influencer Ranching Experience in July during Calgary Stampede. Public and Stakeholder Engagement is funded by national check-off dollars and is jointly delivered by Canada Beef and the Canadian Cattle Association. The program seeks to build and maintain public trust in the way beef cattle are raised in Canada. The annual Ranching Experience brings together a group of social media content creators to a southern Alberta ranch to learn about the benefits of raising Canadian beef.

The day began at Lammle’s Western Wear, where influencers were given a shopping budget to get “suited and booted” for the day. Then, the group boarded a private bus to head out to the East Longview Hall, where Chop Steakhouse catered a delectable prime rib beef dip lunch.

As the creators enjoyed their meal, they also took in Public and Stakeholder Engagement’s newest short documentary, Homes on the Range. Set to be released this fall, the film highlights the important role of beef producers in preserving critical wildlife habitat on Canadian grasslands.

After lunch and a show, the influencers headed out to Robertson Ranch near Longview, Alberta. At the yard, Alex and Carol Robertson and their twin daughters Morgan and Taryn guided the group through a series of stations that let the influencers try their hand at being a rancher. Stations featured roping lessons from professional roper Steele DePaoli, leading Highland heifers, grooming the ranch horses, and hearing the history of the ranch.

With the ice broken and excitement high, the group set out for one of the Robertsons’ picturesque pastures in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains. On the way, creators watched Morgan work her border collie on some cattle and took in the scenery.

At the end of the road, the group heard from representatives from the Nature Conservancy of Canada and Ducks Unlimited Canada, reinforcing the critical role of ranchers in preserving grasslands as one of the world’s most endangered ecosystems. To really seal the deal, influencers spotted a fawn and a cow elk with her calf, letting them see biodiversity in action.

After many questions from curious creators and a break for some wildflower beauty shots, the group headed back to Calgary for an exclusive dining experience at Chop Steakhouse. Here, the influencers enjoyed a beef-centric supper featuring three different cuts of steak on a sample “butcher’s board”. With a side of good conversation, the creators were ready to tuck in for the night in a hotel room provided for them.

In return for the experience, influencers posted a series of Instagram stories throughout the day, as well as a summary reel highlighting their learnings from the day. With all the glitz and glamour of the day, you might expect the influencers to focus their content on western fashion or gourmet dining. But instead, the content from the day highlighted the creators’ heartfelt appreciation for all that ranchers do to care for the animals and ecosystems in their care.

While the influencers appreciated the shopping, hotel, and meals as an incentive to provide their services, it was learning about the people and stories behind the beef on their plates that stuck with them. “I will remember the people,” said one influencer. “I really had zero experience with ranching, so I learned an awful lot. I think I will remember how peaceful it felt out on their ranch and how important ranching is to maintaining those grasslands.”

As influencers share what they learned with their audiences, their followers get to step into their boots as if they went on the tour themselves. Creators varied from foodies to lifestyle bloggers but were all selected for their followings in key urban centres.

Before and after the event, influencers were asked to complete a brief survey to gauge their perceptions of Canadian beef cattle farmers and ranchers. Prior to visiting the ranch, 70 percent of the creators rated Canada’s beef industry as “good” stewards of the land and water, with the remaining responding “unsure” or “acceptable”. After the tour, 100 percent of responses rated this category as “excellent”.

Of course, personal experiences like the ranch visit have immense power to shape these perceptions. Fortunately, the broader population is experiencing the same shift in mindset. In July, the Public and Stakeholder Engagement program ran its annual key performance indicator questions as part of an omnibus survey of Canadians. This survey found that 74 percent of Canadians felt positively that “beef is an environmentally friendly food choice”, representing a 6 percent increase over 2024 and a 14 percent jump past the 2022 result. While not tied to any particular initiative, these results demonstrate the influence of sharing positive messages about beef cattle.

Thanks to the power of influencers, the stories from the Ranching Experience reach and impact consumers across the country. Check out some of the content from the day on Public and Stakeholder Engagement’s @raisingcdnbeef Instagram.