Go Back

February 20, 2008  (Toronto) – The Ontario Cattlemen’s Association (OCA) is pleased to announce that Dwain and Nancy Smith and family are the winners of this year’s Environmental Stewardship Award (TESAward), sponsored by RBC Royal Bank and OCA. The award was presented at the OCA Annual General Meeting on February 20th, by Sheila Smart of RBC Royal Bank.

Dwain Smith is a third generation cattle producer from St. Marys, Ontario and, along with his wife Nancy and their children Brittany, Michael and Zachary,  were nominated for the award by Craig Merkley, Conservation Services Specialist with the Upper Thames Conservation Authority and David Ainslie, a retired high school teacher from the area. The Smiths own and operate a beef farm in the south end of Perth County near the town of St. Marys. The farm is located on 100 acres of rolling land with two watercourses running across the property.

“We’re extremely excited and appreciative to receive this award,” says Dwain. “On our farm, we make it a priority to raise top quality cattle - economically and feasibly - in an environmentally responsible manner, and in a setting which is enjoyable to ourselves, the producer and to the cattle we raise.”
The Smith family has made numerous enhancements on-farm to improve their pastures and quality of life for their livestock. They have limited access to water ways while making use of a water pump to provide their cattle with clean, fresh water. By rotating their grazing land it has allowed for pastures to better rejuvenate resulting in more grazing days per acre. There is limited access to rivers; this has allowed the banks to stabilize promoting better fish habitats and less river bank erosion. More cement yards and the use of eaves troughs has improved run-off and erosion problems as well as eliminating stream contamination. The Smiths have cleaned ditches and added windbreaks to prevent flooding and erosion problems. Their manure storage system eliminated the need to spread during the winter months minimizing contamination through runoff.

The Smiths have also been involved in various workshops, courses and organizations to increase their awareness of food safety as it pertains to cattle production and cropping practices. They have completed the Verified Beef Production - Quality Starts Here workshop, Livestock Medicines Education Program course, Pesticide Safety course, and have documented and completed both the Environmental Farm Plan and Nutrient Management Plan.

In the past, the Smiths have hosted an open house on-farm which gave guests the opportunity to hear Jack Kyle, Grazier Specialist for OMAFRA, speak about the benefits of rotational grazing. Attendees were able to see Smith’s rotational grazing operation up close. Dwain was also a guest speaker at the 2006 Grazing Profitability seminar speaking about his experience shifting from traditional grazing to controlled grazing.

In his nomination letter, Craig Merkley writes “I feel Dwain provides good examples for others to follow. Through his work the water quality in the Thames River will benefit locally and on a watershed scale”.

The Smiths will go on to represent Ontario at the National Environmental Stewardship Award competition to be held August 11th-15th, in Winnipeg, Manitoba.  
TESAward recognizes the outstanding environmental stewardship of an Ontario cattleman. Special consideration is given to producers who have taken innovative approaches to environmentally sustainable cattle production.

The deadline for applications for the 2009 Environmental Stewardship Award is November 28, 2008.

For details visit the OCA Web site at www.cattle.guelph.on.ca after March 1st.

For More Information Contact:
Lianne Appleby , Ontario Cattlemen’s Association: (519) 824-0334
Dwain and Nancy Smith, 2008 TESA Winners: (519) 615-4637
Sheila Smart, RBC Royal Bank: (519) 376-2441