Dr. Bart Lardner Receives 2026 Canadian Beef Industry Award for Outstanding Research
AUGUST 19, 2026 (WINNIPEG, MB) – A nationally and internationally recognized leader in beef cattle management and forage production has been recognized with one of the Canadian beef industry’s top honours. Dr. Bart Lardner is the recipient of the 2026 Canadian Beef Industry Award for Outstanding Research and Innovation.
“Dr. Lardner’s research has helped producers reduce costs while maintaining performance and profitability,” said Dean Manning, chair of the Beef Cattle Research Council (BCRC) and a beef producer near Falmouth, Nova Scotia. “Committing to ensure beef producers see value from research investment while supporting the next generation is greatly respected and appreciated.”
Dr. Lardner is a professor and researcher at the University of Saskatchewan’s College of Agriculture and Bioresources and is the current Ministry of Agriculture Strategic Research Program Chair in Cow-Calf and Forage Systems. His work focuses on the management and nutritional requirements of cow-calf, replacement heifers and feeder animals.
For more than two decades, Dr. Lardner’s applied research has shaped everyday practices on Western Canadian farms and ranches—from winter grazing and bale feeding to water quality management and heifer development. He is passionate about conducting research to generate recommendations on practices and technologies for cow-calf and forage producers to advance their productivity and profitability while supporting long-term sustainability. With every study he leads, he aims to consider the implications for beef production.
“Dr. Lardner’s ability to work across disciplines is impressive,” said Dr. Jeff Schoenau from the University of Saskatchewan. “Bart has spent his career conducting applied research to advance the cow-calf and forage sectors. His research on field feeding has led to the practice becoming commonplace in Western Canada, while research on the impacts of water quality from 20 years ago is still being used today to develop decision tools for producers.”
Dr. Lardner’s research emphasizes lowering production costs while maintaining profitability, with lasting impacts on grazing systems, forage use and management decisions. His water quality studies showed up to 9% higher weight gains, leading to widespread adoption of off-site watering systems now supported by government programs. He introduced forage varieties and validated delayed swathing for winter grazing, increasing yield and adding 30 grazing days. In addition, his work challenged traditional heifer development by showing breeding at 55% of mature weight maintains fertility while saving $60 per head.
University of Saskatchewan Adjunct Professor Dr. Breeanna Kelln and BCRC Science and Knowledge Mobilization Specialist Stacey Domolewski presented Dr. Bart Lardner with the 2026 Canadian Beef Industry Award for Outstanding Research and Innovation at the Canadian Beef Industry Conference in Winnipeg.
After 20 years as the senior research scientist at the Western Beef Development Centre, Dr. Lardner moved his robust research program to the University of Saskatchewan’s Livestock and Forage Centre of Excellence. “As a researcher, he understands the importance of building the next generation of highly qualified professionals, having supervised over 20 graduate students. He knows the importance of multidisciplinary research and builds collaborations among soil scientists, veterinarians, plant breeders, engineers, economists and producers to ensure research questions are examined from all angles,” says Charlotte Ward, Saskatchewan beef producer and agri-environmental specialist at the Saskatchewan Ministry of Agriculture. “As a cow-calf producer myself, I have seen the positive impact of his research on improving the profitability and sustainability of my operation.”
Beyond his prolific research, Dr. Lardner is highly regarded for teaching and mentoring future researchers. He leads an active graduate program, supervising over 25 graduate and numerous undergraduate students. His students are in high demand, often receiving multiple job offers before graduation—a testament to the quality of his mentorship and industry respect.
Dr. Lardner is passionate about beef and forage extension and has delivered more than 400 invited presentations throughout Western Canada and the northern United States. He has also travelled to similar latitudes around the world—Mongolia, China, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Sweden and Finland—to teach and extend his research on cow-calf nutrition and forage and pasture management.
“Bart’s career has focused on conducting applied research to advance the cow-calf and forage sectors of the beef industry,” says Jeremy Brown, beef producer and member of the Saskatchewan Forage Council. “His ability to apply scientific rigor to the evaluation of new technologies and practices, while utilizing well-established recommendations to ensure producers can make informed decisions about the adoption of a practice or technology, is just one of the reasons he is such a well-respected and sought-after guest speaker and industry resource.”
The Canadian Beef Industry Award for Outstanding Research and Innovation is presented by the BCRC on behalf of Canada’s beef industry. The award recognizes scientists and academics who are actively involved in strong research programs aligned with industry priorities, continually engaged with industry stakeholders and demonstrate their passion and long-term commitment through leadership, teamwork and mentorship. Nominations are accepted by the BCRC from industry stakeholders and must be accompanied by letters of support from industry and scientific colleagues. The recipient is selected by a committee comprised of beef producers, industry experts and retired beef-related researchers located across the country. The award was established in 2015. See past recipients.
For further information, contact:
Laura Monchuk
BCRC Communications Specialist
monchukl@beefresearch.ca
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