News last week that Mexico will be re-opening its border to over 30 month cattle from Canada was greeted with cheers in the cattle industry.

John Masswohl with the Canadian Cattlemen's Association says there are a couple of things producers need in order to get cattle numbers up.

"I think what we ultimately need is for cattle producers to feel confident that, if they're going to make the investment in increasing their herd sizes, that there's a place for them to market those animals and to get a good value for them," Masswohl says. "The other thing that they tend to need is the confidence to know that they've got feed and forage to feed those animals through the winter."

He says last winter was tough because of the dry conditions through most of Alberta last spring and summer.

Masswohl says this year is looking better in terms of grass production and just hopes mother nature will keep cooperating.

He says prices are certainly down from what they were last year and that's been a real issue in the feedlot sector but for cow calf producers, even though prices aren't where they were last year still historically they're fairly high.