The West was shut out of the competition this year for the 2005 Canadian Outstanding Young Farmer award.
For the past three years, British Columbia has had a national winner, but not so this year.
In a ceremony from Halifax Nov. 18, two couples were named as winners. They represent Ontario and Prince Edward Island.
One winning couple is Steve Reeves and Jessica Francis, dairy farmers from Freetown, P.E.I. They work with Reeves’ father on the family’s seven generation farm.
The BSE crisis led them to cull their herd and purchase new breeding stock. They are using more lights in the barn to see if there’s a relationship between that and increased milk production. In the field, soil testing helps them match manure use to specific field requirements.
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Steve is active with the Milk Marketing Board, National Farmers Union, Kensington Co-op, Kensington Dairy Club and Central Holstein Club. Jessica works with 4-H, P.E.I. Young Farmers and P.E.I. Agricultural Awareness. Last year, the couple opened their operation to tours for local school and 4-H groups and a delegation of European dairy farmers.
Philip and Luanne Lynn of Lucan, Ont., were named as the other winners in the national event. Philip and his father operate the family’s business, Lynn Cattle Co. Inc., one of the largest beef feedlots in Ontario with a 5,700 head capacity that’s turned twice a year.
The farm’s 2,400 acres produce corn, wheat and soybeans for the feedlot. It is also building a bio-gas plant to process feedlot manure.
Celebrating its 25th year, Canada’s Outstanding Young Farmers’ program is an annual competition to recognize farmers who exemplify excellence in their profession.
Open to participants 18 to 39 years of age who make most of their income from the farm, participants are selected from seven regions across Canada, with two national winners chosen each year.
