Farmers and ranchers are being supported with a new round of funding to help strengthen their resilience to wildfires, flooding and extreme heat, and mitigate future climate impacts.
Wollen Sons Ranch Ltd, a family-owned cattle ranch steeped in 70 years of tradition, recently experienced a transformative shift, thanks to the Extreme Weather Preparedness for Agriculture (EWP) Program.
Stephanie Wollen, the owner of the ranch, shared her enthusiasm about the program's impact on their operations: "After restarting the family cattle ranch, we can finally say there are automatic waterers installed on the property. Throughout the last 70 years in operation, cattle have always been watered manually in the winter via pumping in all weather conditions into a trough heated with a wood stove. We are very much looking forward to the automatic waterers being in use to always have a fresh water supply available to our cattle even in drought conditions."
The introduction of automatic waterers marks a significant upgrade for Wollen Sons Ranch. Previously, the labor-intensive process of manually watering cattle was not only challenging but also inconsistent, particularly during harsh winter months. The rigorous demands of pumping water into heated troughs meant that Stephanie and her family were continually at the mercy of the elements, often risking the health of their livestock.
With support from the EWP program, the ranch secured funding for the installation of these state-of-the-art automatic waterers. This modern solution not only alleviates the physical demands on the Wollen family but also ensures that their cattle have a reliable and clean water supply at all times. With the potential for drought conditions looming, having an automated system in place is a game-changer for the sustainability of their operations.
As Wollen Sons Ranch embraces this new technology, they look forward to increased efficiency and improved welfare for their cattle. The automatic waterers will contribute to healthier livestock, ultimately leading to better productivity and outcomes for the ranch. The Wollen family's commitment to quality care for their cattle, combined with the support of the EWP program, showcases how innovation can reinvigorate traditional practices while fostering sustainability in agriculture.
Funding for this program has been provided by the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership, a $3.5-billion, 5-year agreement between the federal, provincial, and territorial governments to strengthen the competitiveness, innovation, and resiliency of the agriculture, agri‐food, and agri‐based products sector.
