Defining Sustainability

"We take the sustainability of our farm very seriously and utilize farming practices that ensure the soil and the natural environment are protected for our future generations, as our past generations did for us." says Kurt.  "Without our land base to keep the soil fertile, we wouldn’t be able to sustain our feedlot for future generations. We believe that the most sustainable way to produce beef is to maximize our land base to produce the feed for our animals, the bedding for their pens, and to utilize the manure as a valuable nutrient source to improve our soil health."

"Environmental considerations can take more time and aren't always the cheapest option,” says Brendon “But in the long run proper land and livestock stewardship practices contribute to a more productive and profitable farming business."  

Our Sustainable Practices

For the Van Osch family, sustainable beef production starts with the soil. Manure management is a top priority on the farm, guided by both an Environmental Farm Plan and a provincially recognized Nutrient Management Plan. The farm is also involved with the Ontario Soil and Crop Improvement Association and the Ausable Bayfield Conservation Authority. With capacity to store manure for a full year, it is applied to annual cropland in summer and incorporated with a tillage pass, reducing dependence on synthetic fertilizer while improving soil health and resiliency. Regular soil testing guides variable rate application of any synthetic fertilizer, ensuring it is applied only where the crop and land need it.

As annual crops are harvested, a cover crop blend including peas, oats, faba beans, buckwheat, and sunflowers is seeded to protect soil from wind and water erosion, add nutrients through legumes, and improve soil texture through rooting systems. As cover crop residue is worked into the soil before spring seeding, it contributes to organic matter and improves water-holding capacity, helping to prevent runoff into watersheds and improving water quality for aquatic species. Buffer zones have been established between cropland and creeks to further protect water quality.

"If the soil is productive, that certainly contributes to a more efficient cattle feeding operation," says Brendon. "And if your cattle are properly housed and fed, that optimizes overall beef production. We apply the best practices we can to our cropping operation as well as to animal welfare."  

For the Van Osch family, how cattle are housed and cared for is just as important. Feeder cattle are distributed across five facilities, each with large open barns and pens of 250 to 400 head. Cattle have access to both inside and outside options year-round, with curtain-controlled airflow on the north side and open yards to the south. Additional pen space allows cattle to be segregated as needed, minimizing use of animal health products and improving cattle care and comfort. The farm has also invested in a state-of-the-art handling facility, solar-powered cameras to monitor feed bunks and minimize waste, recirculating water bowls, and automated remote-access barn controls to maximize energy efficiency. Solar panels on the barn roofs are estimated to produce enough energy to supply 80 local households annually, offsetting 924 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions. Approximately 1,000 cedar, spruce, and maple trees were planted as a windbreak around the barns.

The farm works with a number of specialists and programs, including an agronomist for crop planning and soil fertility. "It takes partnerships and collaboration with specialists and various agencies to enable improvements, and we strongly believe that if everyone is moving forward together, then success takes care of itself," says Kurt.