A different kind of school is in session this week.

The 14th Western Feedlot Management School is being held in Saskatoon, an event jointly organized by the Saskatchewan Cattle Feeders Association, the Ministry of Agriculture and the University of Saskatchewan.

Dr. John McKinnon with the U of S says the school will provide information to people who want to get into the cattle feeding sector:

McKinnon says the feedlot sector has seen some challenges over the years including the BSE crisis and U.S. Country of Origin Labelling, but there is optimism.  "If we start to look at getting past some of the issues we're dealing with in terms of access to markets, and if we start to look at the competitiveness of the industry in western Canada, particularly in Saskatchewan, we've got room to grow."

McKinnon adds the event is really about giving producers the tools needed to understand the industry and to help them be profitable in that segment of the industry.