Our country is highly divided right now. There’s an us-versus-them mentality that seems to be strong on both sides. And whatever side you’re on, it’s the right side and the other side is wrong.

Farmers who came to the 2025 Dairy Sustainability Alliance Fall Meeting did not travel to hear theories. They wanted workable tools, proof points and honest dialogue about how sustainable practices can work for them and deliver a return on investment (ROI).

John Smith and his wife, Laura Laing, recipients of Alberta’s 2025 Environmental Stewardship Award, are the third generation on their 450-head cow-calf operation west of Nanton, Alberta. John’s maternal grandparents, John and Shirley Hay, started the ranch in 1959.

The carbon markets are maturing. While some may remember early attempts, it has been since the Paris Agreement in 2015 that demand for carbon credits has really strengthened. There have been dynamic shifts over the last five years, in particular.

For Deer Creek Ranch, a 1,200-head cow-calf operation spread across 24,000 acres of leased land and 21,000 acres of deeded land, productive success builds on a healthy ecosystem where wildlife thrives alongside livestock.

Sure, carbon markets are volatile. Sure, the market is theoretically best suited for a large dairy farm, even those providing manure into a community digester. But that didn’t stop Michael Crinion of Ash Grove Dairy.

With markets demanding ever more proof of beef’s environmental sustainability, taking relatively simple steps such as improving your herd’s genetics or mineral supplementation can pay big dividends. 

The third generation of the Cates family to farm within Lowery Creek's twists and turns is committed to conservation and providing high-quality grass-fed beef.