2026 TESA Nominee Profile: Ontario— Will and Tara MacArthur

‘Let Cows be Cows’ Guides Operations 

Rooted in Curiosity

Growing up on his family's beef farm, Will MacArthur often wondered if there was a better management strategy. Like many livestock operations, the farm followed conventional practices that relied on high inputs and often resulted in tight margins. While these methods were common, Will saw an opportunity to do things differently.

Determined to find a more sustainable and profitable path forward, he pursued a university education, participated in the Ranching for Profit program, and sought out mentors and industry leaders who challenged traditional thinking. Along the way, he discovered a simple idea that would become the foundation of the family operation: let cows be cows.

For the MacArthur family, cattle are managed in a way that allows them to express their natural behaviors in grazing for most of the year. Today, the family runs a cow-calf operation consisting of approximately 100 cow-calf pairs, 40 replacement heifers, and 20 steers. They also purchase an additional 50 stocker cattle that are background with a total of 200–250 head of stockers using both dry-lot and pasture-based systems throughout the year. In addition to their beef operation, the family runs a broiler chicken barn and 300 acres of rotated crops.

What makes the operation unique is its commitment to extended grazing. The herd is fed baled feed for only about 45 days each year, spending the remainder of the year grazing pastures, cover crops, corn stalks, and standing corn. The family also interseeds cover crops with corn and uses a rotational strip-grazing system, giving fields time to recover and strengthening the relationship between livestock and the land. The extended grazing offers benefits economically, including labour, fuel, equipment repairs, and depreciation savings for the operation.

While Will has helped shape the farm's direction, the future remains a family focus. The MacArthurs place great value on teaching their children where food comes from and fostering a deep appreciation for agriculture. They hope the next generation will gain experiences and knowledge beyond the farm and one day bring those insights home.

300 Days of Grazing

On approximately 220 acres of permanent rotational pasture, the MacArthur family follows a grazing management system that keeps cattle grazing for more than 300 days each year.

Their annual cycle begins in May when cows calve on fresh green grass. Rather than remaining in one area for long periods, cattle are moved quickly through large paddocks, allowing forage plants time to recover and thrive. As the seasons change, the herd transitions onto cover crops in the fall before moving to strip-grazed fields and corn stalks. Following weaning, cows graze standing corn, extending the grazing season well into winter.

Technology has also become an important tool in supporting the grazing system. Virtual fencing collars allow cattle to be moved efficiently without the need for extensive permanent fencing, making daily management easier and more flexible.

The MacArthurs have also taken a proactive approach to protecting water resources. Across owned and rented land, cattle access to drainage ditches and sensitive riparian areas has been restricted through fencing, helping protect water quality and preserving natural ecosystems.

For Will, these practices are simply part of good farm management.

“For us, sustainability isn’t a trend—it’s just how we farm,” says Will MacArthur. “If you look after your soil and manage your pastures properly, everything else falls into place. We focus on keeping our land productive, protecting our water, and making sure our cattle have what they need. At the end of the day, we want to leave our farm better than we found it.”

Healthy Land, Healthy Future

At the heart of the MacArthur farm is a commitment to improving soil health, protecting water quality, increasing biodiversity, and building a resilient farming system for the future.

Several drainage ditches and waterways run through the property, making water stewardship a top priority. Limiting livestock access to these areas helps maintain clean waterways while supporting healthy riparian areas.

The family has also moved away from using pour-on insecticides, recognizing the important role insects and soil organisms play in nutrient cycling and overall ecosystem health. By reducing unnecessary inputs and encouraging biological activity, they are helping to create healthier soils from the ground up.

Cover crops are another key part of their strategy. These crops help improve soil structure, reduce erosion, increase organic matter, and support nutrient cycling, creating benefits that extend far beyond a single growing season.

Over time, Will has found that many environmentally beneficial practices also strengthen the financial performance of the farm.

"The right thing for the environment seems to go hand in hand with the economic side of the operation."

Partnerships that Support Progress

The MacArthurs' journey has not happened in isolation. Along the way, they have benefited from programs, organizations, and mentors who have helped them implement new ideas and continue improving their operation.

Support and guidance have come through partnerships with the Ontario Soil and Crop Improvement Association (OSCIA), the Ontario On-Farm Climate Action Fund (OFCAF), and the Species at Risk Farm Incentive Program (SARFIP). Mentorship from grazing specialist Jack Kyle has also played an important role in refining the farm's grazing management practices and long-term vision.

These relationships have provided both practical knowledge and resources, helping the family turn ideas into action. However, in the operation, Will shares the most important decision any farmer makes is in their spouse.

“The most important partnership I’m involved in is with my wife Tara. The strong support and confidence that the changes we implement will put our family and farming business in better shape to succeed generations into the future.”

Building for the Next Generation

The story of the MacArthur farm is still being written.

Looking ahead, the family plans to continue adopting management practices that improve environmental outcomes while maintaining productive and resilient livestock and cropping enterprises. Their focus remains on developing cattle that perform efficiently on forage-based diets, thrive within extended grazing systems, maintain strong reproductive performance, and require minimal intervention.

They also hope to expand their land base and continue working with partners, neighbours, and available programs to grow the operation in a way that remains sustainable for both the farm and the environment.

Most importantly, the MacArthurs want to ensure that the land is healthier tomorrow than it is today.

A Legacy of Stewardship and Innovation

What began as a young farmer questioning the status quo has evolved into a farming philosophy built on stewardship, innovation, and trust in natural systems. By focusing on healthy soils, productive pastures, clean water, and cattle that thrive in their environment, the MacArthur family has shown that sustainability and profitability can go hand in hand.

Their story is not one of doing more, but of doing things differently. It is a story of working with nature rather than against it, of challenging conventional thinking, and of building a farm that can thrive for generations to come. As they continue to look ahead, the MacArthurs remain guided by a simple goal: to leave the land, the farm, and the opportunities it provides better than they found them.