Round Rock Ranching CCA’s 2014 TESA recipient
Calgary-AB – The Canadian Cattlemen’s Association (CCA) is pleased to announce Round Rock Ranching of Alberta as the 2014 recipient of The Environmental Stewardship Award (TESA). The fifth-generation family farm is operated by Sean McGrath along with his wife Tanya and their three children in partnership with Sean’s parents, Fred and Anne McGrath. The McGrath family received the national honour today in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, in a special event following the CCA’s 2014 Semi-Annual Meeting and Town Hall.
In accepting the TESA, Sean McGrath thanked the other provincial environmental stewardship award winners and fellow TESA nominees for inspiring him to do more. “To be totally honest with you I’m going to steal a whole bunch of ideas and take them home,” he said.
CCA Environment Committee Vice Chair Bob Lowe presented the McGrath’s with a $1,000 cheque and an engraved belt buckle. “The McGraths have demonstrated a thoughtful and strategic approach to stewardship that has resulted in significant benefits to the land as well as the operation’s bottom line.”
Round Rock Ranching was selected for, among other things, implementing innovative techniques, like various offsite watering systems, while practicing beneficial management practices, resulting in outstanding environmental stewardship. Stewardship on tame pasture stands, for instance, has extended stand life and allowed for significantly increasing and maintaining production on those lands with limited inputs. The ranch has also adopted practices such as bale grazing, the use of portable wind fence, and fuel efficient vehicles for daily operations to reduce energy use and costs. Winter feeding methods also significantly reduce electrical demands on the ranch. Numerous recycling efforts have been implemented for twine, used oil containers, used oil, and old wire.
Located on the northern fringe of the Battle River valley and adjacent escarpment, Round Rock Ranching consists of 2,000 acres of owned, leased and rented ground. Approximately 80 per cent of the home ranch is on native rangeland, with the goal being to graze year-round. The ranch runs an Angus-based cowherd with calving in May/June. Currently the ranch is breeding between 150 and 200 females.
Round Rock Ranching has tame pasture and native habitats, including remnant native parkland and riparian wetland and creek habitats. Specific landscape goals include shifting species composition on native rangeland towards fescue/wheatgrass/needlegrass dominated stands where the landscape permits, eliminating overgrazing and improving riparian habitat and ecosystem function. Round Rock Ranching is value-focused with the vision statement: “The Best Beef in a Better World.” This vision is the guiding lens through which all operational decisions are viewed and assessed.
About TESA
The CCA’s national annual award, TESA has recognized the outstanding stewardship efforts of Canadian beef producers since 1996. For more information, click here.
Thank you to our Platinum Sponsor MNP for sponsoring the TESA program.
For further information, contact:
Gina Teel
Communications Manager
Canadian Cattlemen’s Association teelg@cattle.ca
Round Rock Ranching Receives 2014 Environmental Stewardship Award
2014 Environmental Stewardship Award announced
(Calgary, Alberta) Dec. 5, 2013 – Alberta Beef Producers (ABP) announced Round Rock Ranching as the 2014 Environmental Stewardship Award (ESA) recipients this week at their Annual General Meeting. Each year, ABP recognizes an operation that demonstrates leadership in environmental stewardship – who contribute to the land while maintaining productivity and profitability.
The McGrath family run a fifth generation cow/calf operation near Vermilion, AB. Sean McGrath, alongwith his wife Tanya and their three kids, works in partnership with his father Fred, and his wife Anne, on the management and operation of the ranch. Their vision focuses on being environmentally, socially and economically responsible while working towards ‘the best beef in a better world.’
“You’re committed to it because you’ve seen your parents and your grandparents work and struggle at it and your connection to the land is there because it’s been important to you and the generations before,” Sean said of his dedication to the environment.
With an 80 percent native land base Sean picks breeds that fit the land rather than trying to force the land to produce for the cattle. The emphasis on timing of grazing is what they attribute to the success of the ranch. Employing various winter grazing techniques like swath and bale grazing has worked to reduce fuel, time and money.
“The change has just been in the management of it… coaxing nature along and letting her do her thing, she can do amazing things if you let her,” said Sean.
Sean works closely with groups like Alternative Land Use Services and Cows & Fish to provide environmental and educational benefits for their operation and to be shared with the public. Through the projects done with these groups riparian areas are thriving and providing wildlife habitats, carbon sequestration and biodiversity preservation.
“From a bigger picture across our whole ranch… should our kids chose to ranch, I would like to see our place in better condition than it is today,” said Sean.
For more information contact:
Katelyn Laverdure
COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER
165, 6815 – 8 Street NE
Calgary, AB Canada T2E 7H7
email: KatelynL@albertabeef.org
tel: 403.451.1176
cell: 403.561.8578
fax: 403.274.0007
www.albertabeef.org
Round Rock Ranching Releases New Website
Round Rock Ranching is pleased to provide a revised communication tool to the public. Hopefully our new website reflects our passion for the ranching industry and our operation.
Round Rock Ranching Participates in Cows and Fish REAL Beef Film Premiere
On November 8th, Round Rock Ranching was pleased to be a part of the “Ranchers Enhancing Alberta’s Landscapes” film premiere held at Farm Fair International in Edmonton Alberta. The event was hosted by Cows and Fish. Link
RRR Achieves Landscape Health Verification
In partnership with Cows and Fish, Round Rock Ranching is now landscape health verified. The process involves environmental monitoring and follow up in order to establish a baseline and ensure that the operation is working towards environmental sustainability.
