Holdanca Farms is located near Wallace Bay, N.S., and is owned and operated by the father-daughter duo of John and Maria Duynisveld.

After winning the award at the banquet, John Duynisveld said he felt overwhelmed.

“It’s such an honor,” he said.

Duynisveld gave credit to the other TESA nominees, highlighting the important work they all do when it comes to the environment and agriculture.

“All of us come from different parts of the country, different environments, and everyone has their own challenges in how they can have their operation work with the challenges that nature throws at them and how they’re able to cooperate with nature, rather than fight it and make things work for them in their own way. So, they’re all incredibly deserving farms and ranches.”

At Holdanca Farms, the Duynisvelds raise a herd of grass-fed cattle, as well as sheep and pastured pigs and poultry. They own 500 acres, 250 of which is a managed, biodiverse native woodlot, and the other half is in long-term pasture production.

A focus for the Duynisvelds is native and migratory birds that make their home on the North Shore of Nova Scotia. They ensure space in their barns and other outbuildings for barn swallows to safely enter and exit during breeding season. They avoid cutting forages at this time and put fences around the nests to prevent livestock from damaging them. On their farm, they have recorded over 100 wild bird species. Around 30 of those are endangered.

Holdanca Farms also directly markets their beef and are involved in agriculture education programs such as Ag in the Classroom and environmental education programs they host right on their farm.

“Holdanca Farms is a testament to how responsible farming practices can go hand in hand with success and their importance to protecting and preserving our land and wildlife,” Mike Duguid, one of the co-chairs of CCA’s environment committee, said in a press release.

Even when winning awards, the work doesn’t stop. Maria Duynisveld was back home in Nova Scotia while her father accepted the award, tending to their cattle.

“A really big thanks to our daughter Maria, who is home running the farm and dealing with all the problems that happen as soon as I go away and solving the problems very well,” Duynisveld said to laughter from the crowd.

Holdanca Farms won out of the six different operations that were nominated from across the country.

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Reg Schellenberg, former president of the Canadian Cattle Association, died suddenly in December 2022. In lieu of flowers, the Schellenberg family requested that donations be made through the Canadian Cattle Foundation to support the Canadian Cattle Association’s Young Leaders program (CYL), the association’s mentorship program for up-and-coming leaders in the beef industry.

The Reg Schellenberg Next Generation Legacy Award honours individuals who embody the spirit of humble leadership, mentorship, collaboration and dedication to the Canadian cattle industry. Recipients receive a buckle, sponsored by Schellenberg’s family’s ranch, and a bursary to attend the Saskatchewan Beef Industry Conference.

“Reg was always bringing a CYL under his wing on Parliament Hill to give them a taste of the lobbying activities of CCA,” said Shannon Schellenberg, Reg’s wife, adding that he served as a mentor in the program as well. “Even though a program like CYL didn’t exist when he was getting into leadership opportunities, he still sought out the mentors in his life for the wisdom he needed to become a great leader.”

“Reg was very passionate about the industry. He was also especially passionate about bringing along the next generation, both in terms of operation of ranches, as well as being involved in the industry, advocating for policies to the benefit of the industry,” said Lynn Grant, a Saskatchewan rancher and vice president of the foundation.

Grant explained the young leaders are asked to nominate three people to the judging committee from their cohort for consideration. This year, there was a tie, resulting in four nominees: Alberta’s Brayden Schmidt and Ashley Nicholls, Saskatchewan’s Marianne Sytnyk and Marchand.

Marchand grew up on a ranch near Keremeos, B.C., and now ranches with her husband and his family in the north Okanagan. Alberta rancher and marketing entrepreneur Sarah Wray served as her mentor for the program. Marchand was accepted into the program in 2023 and was part of the 2024 graduating cohort honoured at the Canadian Beef Industry Conference. She cited networking and having “a seat at the table” with decision-makers, particularly those setting policy, as two benefits of the program.

Active in the B.C. Cattlemen’s Association public affairs and education committee before the program started, Marchand was initially focused on educating producers and consumers. However, during the mentorship program, things “shifted” for her slightly, she said, as she increasingly saw the value of working on advocacy and creating content with corporations such as McDonald’s, as well as other partners.

Marchand said she had nothing but great things to say about the program. “Highly recommend it for anybody that’s interested in it.”

—Updated Aug. 23. Adds missing information to lead paragraph.

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