Being a young farmer in Canada today is a challenge, but Canada’s Outstanding Young Farmers 2021 regional winners Andre and Katie Steppler of Steppler Farms near Miami, Manitoba, are rising to it–in innovative ways.
Andre and Katie Steppler, along with Andre’s parents and three brothers, operate a multi-generational farm consisting of 4,000 acres of grain land, 2,500 honey beehives, and a cattle division consisting of 650 purebred Charolais and 100 Black Angus.
Andre and Katie manage the cattle division, adding value by raising purebred livestock, which provides a wide range of experiences, networks, and work demands. Besides managing a large herd of purebred animals, the couple also markets genetics through two annual sales on the farm.
“We host two production sales each year, one with the females in December, and a big bull sale of over 100 purebred Charolais bulls in March,” says Andre. “We run 650 purebred cows to make that happen, as well as 100 commercial cows to test our product.”
The Stepplers were recently celebrated as Manitoba regional winners in Canada’s Outstanding Young Farmers Program, an annual competition that recognizes farmers aged between 18 and 39 who exemplify excellence and promote agriculture in ways that foster urban-rural relations.
As third generation farmers raising the fourth, Andre and Katie were excited to celebrate the centennial of Steppler farms in 2021. “We plan to continue to raise our children in this industry, hopefully providing them with opportunities to farm, or work in an agricultural field if they so choose,” says Katie.
The family travels around North America promoting the farm and advocating for agriculture by participating in and judging cattle in local, provincial and national shows, and by speaking at conferences across Canada.
Stewardship, conservation, and animal welfare are all part of the Steppler Farms mission statement. Andre and Katie use social media to share stories about how farmers are both conservationists and animal advocates. “We really enjoy amplifying the message about the strong passion we have as young farmers in the agriculture industry,” says Andre.
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