The Canadian Cattle Association (CCA) is pleased to announce Holdanca Farms, located near Wallace Bay, Nova Scotia, as the recipient of The Environmental Stewardship Award (TESA) for 2024.
Holdanca Farms is owned and operated by father-daughter duo, John and Maria Duynisveld, who focus on ensuring that their management practices are economically sustainable while also enhancing the environment, which is home to many wildlife species.
They raise grass-fed beef cattle, sheep, pastured pigs and poultry, and can custom graze up to 150 head of beef cattle, depending on the year. They manage the land to benefit both livestock production and environmental sustainability – of their 500 acres, 250 acres is a managed, biodiverse native woodlot, and the other 250 acres is in long-term (30 plus years) pasture production.
Nova Scotia’s North Shore is a key stopping point and breeding location for migratory birds. They’ve recorded over 1000 wild species on the farm, and over thirty of those are threatened or endangered. The Duynisvelds ensure that there are spaces in the barns and sheds for barn swallows to safely enter and exit during breeding seasons and protect the nests from damage. During nesting periods, they avoid cutting forages and put fences around the nests to prevent livestock from unintentionally damaging the nests. John and Maria believe that gaining knowledge of these endangered species and protecting their habitat is critically important to the longevity and success of native species.