The Canadian Cattle Association (CCA) is pleased to feature the provincial stewardship award recipients nominated for 2022 The Environmental Stewardship Award (TESA). The recipient of the CCA’s national award will be announced during the Canadian Beef Industry Conference in Penticton, British Columbia, August 16-18, 2022. For 26 years, recipients have shared their stories, insights, beliefs, and values, so Canadians can get a glimpse into the care and commitment that is taken to raise cattle, while protecting and enhancing the environment. In this issue, we feature the Maritime Beef Council’s 2022 TESA nominee, Local Valley Beef.
Maritimes TESA Nominee Stresses Importance of Relationship between Cows and Grass
By Craig Lester
Nestled in the heart of potato country in Carleton County, New Brunswick, is a sea of grass.
A 105-acre piece of land that is not only home to cattle but also a refuge for mammals, insects, and reptiles.
These green acres belong to Local Valley Beef, which is owned by Cedric, Alanda, and Kalen MacLeod.
Cedric says they are evening and weekend farmers to their herd of 40 cows, as he hustles and bustles between his role as an agronomist, through his company MacLeod Agronomics, as well as serving as the Executive Director of the Canadian Forage and Grassland Association.
The MacLeod’s are this year’s Maritime nominee for The Environmental Stewardship Award.
A Long Way in a Short Time
Local Valley Beef is a first-generation farm.
In 2003, the MacLeod’s bought the 105-acre farm from a neighbour and added one cow to their operation and started to go to work.
At least until the BSE crisis hit that same year and put the brakes on everything.
“It turned our business model upside down,” says Cedric.
Not daunted by the fact they couldn’t sell their heifers, they decided to retain them in the coming years and started to grow the herd.
“The next year, we sold three, then six, and now years later, we are at 40.”
However, the biggest growth they saw during that time was the health of the land.
When they acquired it 19 years ago, it had been continually grazed to the point where it was not in great shape.
“It’s hadn’t been limed in years, the soil’s pH was way down, and the nutrient levels were low.”
They set about correcting that; at the same time, they were clearing out native spruce trees that had popped up on the land.
They introduced alfalfa and white clover to the pasture as well as legumes, orchard grasses, fescues, and Italian rye grasses when they got started.
MacLeod started using intensive rotational grazing, moving the cattle from paddock to paddock every two days.
The land responded with higher productivity, allowing them to increase their herd size.
“There’s lots of grass around for everyone.”
Creatures of Comfort
Not only did the sea of grass drastically improve, but the herd also responded.
MacLeod says the cattle settled into the rotational system and quickly became comfortable.
Taking the time to watch the animals and be aware of their movements and behaviour has really allowed the MacLeod’s to see how fencing makes an impact.
He adds he works hard to keep mineral and lots of fresh water in front of them.
Bale grazing and the installation of the water system has also allowed them to control the cycle of nutrients, which he says has been transformational.
The system has even had a significant impact on calving, tightening the time frame.
“It’s a very natural type of cycle that the cows have really responded to.”
All of them calve out on the grass in June.
Macleod says it gets better every year.
Pivoting Market
All the beef they sell is direct marketed.
MacLeod says selling directly to consumers has been a journey.
“We’ve had ups and downs.”
They started by selling to local food retailers, but it wasn’t quite a fit, so they moved on to restaurants.
He says the restaurants really ran with the grass-fed brand and Local Valley Beef was riding pretty high and feeling good with their marketing volumes until covid hit.
The pandemic cost them most of this business, as the restaurants were forced to look at their margins.
But it didn’t keep the MacLeod’s down for long as they returned to the local marketplace and made up the loss with home delivery.
By directly marketing to consumers, it bridges the gap in public trust on environmental topics as well.
Good Neighbours
The MacLeod’s land practices have begun to affect those around them.
Striking land swapping deals with local potato farmers has allowed them to put perennial forages into their neighbours’ crop rotations.
MacLeod says the potato farmers have seen the positive impact the addition to the rotation has had on the soil firsthand.
He says they often try to use their farm as an example for others on how productive they can make the land.
He points to how their practices improve the organic matter accumulation, water holding capacity, nutrient cycling, soil health, and carbon sequestration of the land that he works with, which tackles climate change issues.
His work with the Canadian Forage and Grassland Association brings him great pride.
He says they have been able to get a number of national contracts in recent years and work with over 30 contractors across the country to help improve the agricultural landscape from one coast to the other.
He has learned a lot of lessons in the position and adds his hat goes off to the board for the work they have done and initiatives they have undertaken.
Relationships
MacLeod speaks with a lot of heart when he talks about how we are moving into a renaissance period with grasslands and forage across the country. Pointing to more awareness of the importance of grasslands.
He says we need to recognize the vital role that ruminant livestock play in managing the health of that grass because that drives the productivity of the grass.
“We have to recognize that interaction between the plant, the animal, and the landscape and figure out a way to maintain these ruminants and these grasslands in perpetuity."
He says we can’t just have all crop production, because it just doesn’t work.
MacLeod says the family is thankful to everyone who put their name forward for this nomination and thankful for the opportunity the industry has given them to learn and grow this little business, which has resulted in a sea of green grass and the cows that call it home.