Ontario Agriculture

The network for agriculture in Ontario, Canada

Simcoe County Couple Wins 2011 Environmental Stewardship Award

ONTARIO CATTLEMEN'S ASSOCIATION
The Ontario Cattlemen's Association (OCA) is pleased to announce that John and Rosemary Dunsmore of Shanty Bay are the winners of The Environmental Stewardship Award (TESAward) for 2011, sponsored by RBC Royal Bank. The Dunsmores operate a small cow-calf operation in Shanty Bay, Ontario on the edge of Lake Simcoe. The couple were nominated for the award by Madelaine Danby, Butternut Technician for the Ministry of Natural Resources, with support from Paul Marshal, a former Ward 3 Councilor in Oro-Medonte Township.

The Dunsmores' dedication to the environment is evident given their involvement in a number of stewardship initiatives. Together, John and Rosemary plant approximately 50 trees every year, providing soil stability, shade, water retention and carbon dioxide sequestration, and have also been heavily involved in the Butternut Tree Recovery Program through North Simcoe Stewardship and the Ministry of Natural Resources. In 2002, the Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority presented the Dunsmores with the Walter Conservation Award for their commitment to environmental stewardship and dedication to ecologically friendly farm practices.

"The installation of a wind turbine and solar panels to create energy for their farm demonstrates their initiative in new technologies to help decrease their ecological footprint," reports Danby.  "They are currently looking to plant a buffer zone of trees to improve the health of the water flowing in their small seasonal creek that runs through their cattle pasture."

"Before incentives were provided to farmers, John and Rosemary took the initiative to control run-off from their barn yard by improving fencing and constructing a catchment pond to filter the water rather than allowing it to enter Lake Simcoe," says Paul Marshall. "During my six years on council in Oro-Medonte Township John and Rosemary were very active in a number of environmental activities in their community. They are prime examples of stewards who care deeply for the environment."

 

TESAward recognizes the outstanding environmental stewardship of an Ontario cattleman.  Special consideration is given to producers who have taken innovative approaches to environmentally sustainable cattle production.

 

 

 

For further information:

John and Rosemary Dunsmore, TESA Winners: 705-728-2609
LeaAnne Hodgins, Ontario Cattlemen's Association: 519-824-0334



Views: 53

▶ Reply to This

Agriculture Headlines from Farms.com Canada East News - click on title for full story

10% of the Cows, Half the Beef Exported: How Canada Punches Above Its Weight

With just under 3.5 million beef cows and a fed kill shy of 3 million head, Canada raises a fraction of North America’s cattle — but exports roughly half of what it produces as live cattle or beef. Canadian Cattle Association (CCA) General Manager Ryder Lee says Alberta–Saskatchewan cow country, Ontario and Alberta feeding hubs, and U.S. packing plants in Washington, Utah and Pennsylvania are tightly interlinked, making border access and science-based trade rules non-negotiable for producers on both sides. Raised on a commercial cow-calf operation in southern Saskatchewan — just 20 miles north of Montana — Lee grew up in what he describes as “cattle country.” After earning an animal science degree, he spent six years in agricultural sales with Dow AgroSciences before stumbling into cattle industry association work. He spent a decade in Ottawa doing policy lobbying, then served seven years as CEO of the Saskatchewan Cattlemen’s Association before joining CCA as General Manager three y

Agricultural giant at centre of urban-rural housing divide in Ontario border city

It's been all about building as many new homes as possible in Ontario recently, but now a big corporation wants to stop housing projects in the Sarnia area — something that’s pitting rural and urban communities against one another. Cargill wants the provincial government to utilize its Minister’s Zoning Order (MZO) for the opposite reason it was originally intended. The tool has become increasingly common as Ontario pushes to build 1.5 million homes by 2031. An MZO allows the housing minister to override the local planning process and make decisions directly. Usually, that means speeding up development. But in Sarnia, Cargill wants Minister of Municipal Affairs of Housing Rob Flack to step in and block new homes from being built near its property. The company is one of the biggest agricultural corporations in the world, and it operates a large grain terminal at Sarnia Harbour. This is where farmers truck their corn, soybeans and wheat at harvest time. Some of the product also comes

KIOTI entering mini excavator market

On June 2 the manufacturer announced the release of the MX Series mini excavators

CFIA Reports Show Strong Canadian Food Safety Compliance Across National Testing Programs

New CFIA testing results show consistently high compliance across Canada’s food supply, supporting consumer confidence and trade credibility.

: Ontario Crops Show Strong Start Despite Weather Challenges

Ontario crops show steady progress with near-complete planting, early growth challenges, and rising weed and disease concerns across corn, soybean, and wheat fields.

© 2026   Created by Darren Marsland.   Powered by

Badges  |  Report an Issue  |  Terms of Service