8 The Business of Prairie Agriculture Better Farming | October 2024 Beyond the Barn Daniel, Lorin and Barry Doerksen of Gem were recently named Alberta’s Outstanding Young Farmers for 2024 at the Alberta Region’s Recognition Event held in conjunction with Olds Smart. The Doerksen brothers are fourth-generation producers operating a mixed farming and ranching operation along with their father Arno and his brother Tim. According to a recent release from the Canada’s Outstanding Young Farmers Program, the Doerksens’ irrigated land base supports production of cash crops and forage crops grown for winter feed and silage. Along with a commercial cow-herd, the family also raises purebred Hereford and Red Angus cattle, offering bulls and bred heifers for sale annually. They select cattle with fertility and longevity being top priorities. With cattle genetics geared for beef production on forage, the Doerksens ventured into direct marketing of grass finished beef in 2018 under their brand Gemstone Grass Fed Beef. They market their beef directly to consumers through their butcher shop and food kiosk at the Calgary Farmers Market West and online at gemstonegrassfedbeef.com. Their farm-to-table business has given them cause to continue improving the quality of their beef through genetics and regenerative farming practices. Alberta Agriculture Minister R.J. Sigurdson attended the OYF event. Past-president of the National OYF board Steve Cooper commented that the “Alberta OYF did an amazing job with this event. Collaboration with Olds College, alumni representatives from every decade and amazing nominees. An extremely memorable event.” Canada’s OYF program is an annual competition to recognize farmers who exemplify excellence in their profession. Open to participants 18 to 39 years of age, making the majority of income from on-farm sources, participants are selected from seven regions across Canada, with two national winners chosen each year. Canada’s Outstanding Young Farmers for 2024 will be chosen at the program’s “national event” in Lethbridge, which runs from Nov. 27 to Dec 1. BF - Based on release from Canada’s Outstanding Young Farmers Outstanding Young Farmers photo ALTA. BROTHERS WIN FARMING AWARD NEW TOOL HELPS BOOST PRAIRIE BIODIVERSITY Ducks Unlimited Canada (DUC) has successfully applied a groundbreaking tool that highlights the importance of conservation easements in supporting biodiversity and protecting natural habitats on private lands. Published in Biological Conservation, the Prairie Biodiversity Mapping and Assessment Tool offers valuable insights to help land managers, conservationists, and industry make informed decisions to promote biodiversity, particularly on DUC conservation easements. Conservation easements, voluntary agreements between landowners and DUC, protect the natural integrity of a property by limiting development. The new study shows that land under DUC conservation easements in the Prairies supports 39 per cent more species than adjacent unprotected areas, emphasizing the critical role these agreements play in preserving biodiversity. The Prairie Biodiversity Mapping and Assessment Tool models 329 species using over 1.2 million observations. It identifies biodiversity hotspots, revealing areas where conservation efforts can have the greatest impact. The tool shows that areas with DUC conservation easements support an average of 114 species, compared to 82 species in unprotected sites. “Biodiversity is crucial for healthy ecosystems, and the Prairie Biodiversity Tool will be instrumental in guiding DUC conservation efforts,” says James Paterson, DUC research scientist. “It provides the actionable data needed to support sustainable land management and biodiversity conservation in the prairies.” The study also found that conserving just 20 per cent of a field’s natural habitats can preserve 74 per cent of species in agricultural areas. The tool’s findings will guide conservation professionals and land managers in enhancing prairie biodiversity. BF Lorin, Daniel, and Barry Derksen of Gem, Alta.
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