Ranch-to-table: Partnership helps stock the Campus Food Hub with locally raised beef

When people think about campus food security, a working cattle ranch is probably not the first thing that comes to mind.

But, at the University of Calgary, collaboration has a way of turning unexpected ideas into meaningful support for students.

In a new partnership between Ancillary Services and the Campus Food Hub, the university’s W.A. Ranches will provide ground beef to support students accessing food programs on campus.

The initiative will see two to three cows per year sold to the Campus Food Hub at cost, significantly reducing the price compared with retail beef purchases. Each cow provides approximately 400 to 500 lbs of ground beef, helping stretch resources further while increasing access to nutritious food for students.

“This is a really exciting example of campus collaboration,” says Kate Stenson, Food Security Partnerships Lead, Centre for Career & Personal Development, Student Experience & Support. “The Campus Food Hub exists to help improve food access for students, and partnerships like this allow us to support more people while making our funding go further.”

For Paul White, senior director of Ancillary Services, the partnership is an example of how different areas of the university can work together to make a tangible difference for students.

“We have an incredible resource in W.A. Ranches, and this partnership gives us another way to use it to support our students,” says White. “It’s a simple idea that brings people across campus together and can make a meaningful difference.”

The partnership is designed to provide ongoing support. When supplies begin to run low, Food Hub staff can work directly with ranch staff to co-ordinate orders and replenish as needed.

Operated and maintained by Ancillary Services, W.A. Ranches is a working cattle operation northwest of Calgary that supports teaching, learning and research at the university.

The partnership also reflects the growing importance of cross-campus collaboration in addressing student food insecurity and supporting student well-being in practical, community-focused ways.

Run through the Centre for Career & Personal Development in Crowsnest Hall, the Campus Food Hub is a collaborative initiative supported by campus partners, donors and the Student Food Security Fund.

Sometimes the best campus partnerships are the ones nobody sees coming. At UCalgary, that can look like a cattle ranch helping feed students.