BHP celebrated its inaugural sponsorship and participation in the Canadian Western Agribition, one of Canada’s premier livestock and agribusiness events held in Regina, Saskatchewan.
The six-day event took place from November 25–30, drawing a crowd of over 143,000 people, blending livestock showcases, rodeos, education, Indigenous agriculture, and business networking.
Potash’s critical role in sustainable agriculture was a key theme, with BHP highlighting its contributions to global food security.
At the Agri-Insights: Breakfast in the Barns, BHP asset president potash Karina Gistelinck delivered a keynote speech emphasising the broader impact of the Big Australian’s Jansen potash project.
“Jansen isn’t just about mining – it’s about empowering farmers with the tools they need to sustainably feed the world,” she said.
BHP executives, including Gistelinck and president minerals Americas Brandon Craig, visited the Regina Food Bank’s innovative community food hub on November 27.
This visit followed BHP’s $350,000 investment in August to support the food sovereignty program and a mural by Indigenous artist Chanel Yuzicappi from Standing Buffalo First Nation.
BHP also sponsored the Indigenous Agricultural Summit, themed ‘Nourishing nations and empowering generations’.
BHP Indigenous engagement manager Courage Bear highlighted the company’s Jansen project contributions, including $850 million in Indigenous business contracts since 2021 and a commitment to a 20 per cent Indigenous workforce by the mine’s 2026 start.
As the presenting partner of the Maple Leaf finals rodeo, BHP celebrated resilience and athleticism while engaging with the local community.
“Agribition highlighted that Saskatchewan agriculture is not just essential to our province – it’s a cornerstone of global food security,” Craig said.
“With Jansen now over halfway to completion, BHP remains deeply committed to supporting farmers, strengthening communities, and ensuring Saskatchewan’s leadership in sustainable agriculture continues to thrive.”
In other news at BHP, the company has appointed Mark Bendall as group investor relations officer and will jump into the role from April 1 2025.
Bendall is currently the vice president transaction analysis and special projects in BHP’s portfolio, strategy and development team.
He brings 25 years of experience in the global mining sector to the role, including natural resources investment banking across equity, debt and private capital markets, transactions, and corporate advisory across many regions.
Bendall replaces Tristan Lovegrove, who has recently relocated to London, and has been appointed group treasurer from October 1 2025.