Manitoba Rancher Recognized By Outstanding Young Farmer Program

A rancher and Outstanding Young Farmer (OYF) alumni from Eddystone, Manitoba was recently honoured as recipient of the 2019 W.R. Motherwell Award by Canada's OYF program. The award was presented to Angela Fox at the national event in Fredericton last week.

 

"Along with running her four children to extra-curricular events and managing the ranch as a sole proprietor Angela works one day a week for a local auction barn, more to help them out than for the paycheck," said Regional Chair Dustin Williams.

 

The following is an excerpt from an OYF news release:

 

As 2008 Manitoba Alumni, Jay & Angela brought many ideas to the Manitoba program that improved the local program. In 2011 she became the regional administrator and continues to work tirelessly to make the regional and national events (2011 & 2018) a success.

 

Angela and her husband Jay personified the concept of power couples while running Steadfast Ranch. Jay was the larger than life persona and Angela was the heart and soul of the partnership. Sadly Jay was taken from Angela in 2011. Through her grief, Angie not only maintained a great life for her four children, but also continued to successfully manage their 11,000 acre cow calf ranch. There were many that questioned if Angie would sell the ranch and/or move away but that was not even a consideration for her. She continues to complete and work towards the plans and goals that she and Jay had made.

 

Angie was introduced to Maggie Van Camp by Jim Snyder of BDO. Maggie, like Angie, had lost her husband and was challenged with successfully continuing the family farm operation. With the help of BDO, Angie and Maggie inspired other farmers at speaking engagements across Canada to prepare and complete a "Because I Love You List" because we never know how our lives might change tomorrow. Angie and Maggie shared many experiences and stories over their touring and speaking engagements.

Video: Evolution of Beef Cattle Farming

The Clear Conversations podcast took to the road for a special episode recorded in Nashville during CattleCon, bringing listeners straight into the heart of the cattle industry. Host Tracy Sellers welcomed rancher Steve Wooten of Beatty Canyon Ranch in Colorado for a wide-ranging discussion that blended family history and sustainability, particularly as it relates to the future of beef production.

Sustainability emerged as a central theme of the conversation, a word that Wooten acknowledges can mean very different things depending on who you ask. For him, sustainability starts with the soil. Healthy soil produces healthy grass, which supports efficient cattle capable of producing year after year with minimal external inputs. It’s an approach that equally considers vegetation, animal efficiency, and long-term profitability.

That philosophy aligned naturally with Wooten’s involvement in the U.S. Roundtable for Sustainable Beef, where he served as a representative for the Colorado Cattlemen’s Association. The roundtable brings together the entire beef supply chain—from producers to retailers—along with universities, NGOs, and allied industries. Its goal is not regulation, Wooten emphasized, but collaboration, shared learning, and continuous improvement.