Board
The CCA’s producer-elected board brings a collective experience and commitment to the national table providing the leadership necessary to set the direction to propel the industry forward. Representing nine Canadian provinces and all sectors and stages of beef production, these dedicated producers carry forward this national voice at federal and international levels on matters of importance to the industry.
To learn more about our Board Members, click on the photos. We are still gathering information from our new representatives, please check back for updates.
2025–2026 Representatives
Tyler Fulton
Manitoba
President
Tyler is currently CCA’s President. He became involved with CCA as a natural extension of his work with the Manitoba Beef Producers.
Tyler feels it is important to advocate on behalf of cattle farmers and ranchers as they play a unique role in Canadian agriculture, by using a natural landscape to grow food. Tyler hopes to grow a greater awareness and support for CCA amongst farmers and ranchers while having a positive influence on improving equity and effectiveness of Business Risk Management programs in Canada. Additionally, he aims to continue shifting the global and Canadian public perception of the cattle industry towards that of responsible stewards because cattle play an important role in enhancing sustainable food production.
Learn more about Tyler’s operation and family
Tyler is the third generation on his farm and together with his wife, Dorelle, and kids Evan and Mae, they own and operate Tyton Farm Ltd, just south of Birtle, Manitoba. They run about 600 cow-calf pairs and a small backgrounding lot that they use for their own calves. The herd is a commercial herd with influence from Simmental, Red and Black Angus, and Gelbvieh. They grow hay and corn for silage and winter grazing and have a small amount of grain production that integrates well with the cattle operation. The farm consists of about 5,500 acres of owned and rented land with most of this as tame and native pasture.
The Fultons are focused on constant improvement and are quick adopters of new technology. They are certified by Verified Beef Production Plus and are proud members of the Canadian Roundtable for Sustainable Beef! Tyler is an advocate for improving soil health through the use of Adaptive Multi-Paddock (AMP) Grazing and regenerative agriculture practices. His family is focused on managing risk and are therefore strong proponents for using forage insurance and Livestock Price Insurance (LPI).
Ryan Beierbach
Saskatchewan
Vice President
Ryan is Vice President, a Director for Saskatchewan and co-chair of the Foreign Trade Committee. He sees the importance of producers giving their time to CCA and other boards to ensure the industry is successful now and in the future. Ryan’s goal on the CCA board is to have cattle production recognized as being important for environmental sustainability and he hopes to see ranchers receive credit for carbon sequestered and stored in our soil. Additionally, he hopes to see fair and competitive markets for feeder and fed cattle and inputs like vaccines, antibiotics, dewormers, and fly control products.
Ryan is currently the Chair of the Canadian Roundtable for Sustainable Beef. He is also the Past President of the Saskatchewan Cattlemen’s Association and Past Chair of the Beef Cattle Research Council. Ryan is a Canadian Cattle Young Leaders (CYL) graduate and a past CYL mentor.
Learn more about Ryan’s operation and family
Ryan runs a family farm with his wife, Tania and their three teenage children Lara, Rana, and Jace. Ryan comes from a multi-generation ranching family and Ryan and Tania bought their ranch near Whitewood, Saskatchewan in 2002. The cow herd is Black Angus-based and they use Hereford and Angus bulls. They sell most of their steers on video sales and the timing depends on feed availability. They also sell bred heifers out of the yard every fall. Their Hereford-Angus black-white face heifers are in high demand and make easy-doing, productive, fertile cows.
Ryan’s family ranch is mostly farmland that they seeded to grass and fenced for cattle. They have built a lot of single-wire cross fences and utilize Adaptive Multi Pasture Grazing. They have portable solar water troughs as well as water pipelines. In the winter, they swath graze and graze standing corn, usually until sometime in March, then feed bales and silage. Their cows then calve on pasture in May and June.
Ryan’s family also runs a ranch supply and tack store on the ranch. They sell many of the inputs that they use like forage and corn seed, electric fencing, and mineral. Ryan also works as a representative for the Southern Alberta Livestock Exchange.
Nathan Phinney
New Brunswick
Past President
Nathan Phinney, past president, initially got involved with CCA to be part of the policy making conversations in the beef industry to bring forward perspectives from his home region, the Maritimes, and share ideas on how to improve the industry. His goals are to unify the industry from coast to coast and ensure the industry’s success for the long term.
Nathan also sat on New Brunswick Cattle Producers for nearly two decades and the Maritime Beef Council for more than 15 years. Outside of the cattle industry, he coaches minor hockey.
Learn more about Nathan’s operation and family
Nathan is the third generation on the farm that was established by his grandfather. He also works closely with his wife, who also works off farm, and their three young kids. Together, they run a backgrounding feedlot where they typically feed 1,200-1,500 head. They are in the process of transitioning to a grass backgrounding operation and contracting cattle into the feedlot market. They were part of the pilot project for the Canadian Roundtable for Sustainable Beef.
One of Nathan’s main interests is health protocols for calves and ensuring good preconditioning practices. He has hosted field days on the farm with pharmaceutical companies for cow-calf producers to help teach proper practices like drug administration.
Kirk Jackson
Quebec
Officer
Kirk represents Quebec on the board, is co-chair of the Food Policy Committee, and a member of the Foreign Trade Committee. Kirk got involved in CCA when Les Producteurs des bovins du Quebec (PBQ) rejoined CCA. He saw the benefits of having a truly national organization and felt that both groups had a lot to offer each other. His goals on the board are to get all sectors in agriculture working together to be a more united front when working with government.
Kirk is also a member of the executive for Les Producteurs de bovins du Québec and a 4-H leader for 10 years.
Learn more about Kirk’s operation and family
Kirk is the second generation on his farm and his succession planning has allowed him to take over the majority ownership of the farm from his parents. The farm consists of 90 dairy cows and he finishes all 90 calves each year. He is currently using a beef-on-dairy breeding program, breeding his Holstein cows to Angus bulls which allows him to add more value and performance to his calves. In the future, Kirk is interested in implanting straight beef embryos in his Holstein cow to add even more value to his feedlot operation.
Kirk has a three-year diploma in Farm Management Technology
Brodie Haugan
Alberta
Officer
Brodie Haugan is co-chair of the Domestic Agriculture Policy and Regulations Committee, and a fifth-generation cattle producer from the southeast corner of Alberta. Brodie attended the University of Saskatchewan where he earned a Bachelor of Science in AgriBusiness (2013). Along with his parents and wife Melissa Lemmer Brodie owns and operates a commercial cow-calf operation 40 miles south of Medicine Hat, AB, and 30 miles north of the American border, near Orion. Their operation, Haugan Land & Cattle Co. Ltd., also works with several feedlots, backgrounding, and finishing both home-raised and purchased cattle.
Brodie was an Alberta Beef Producer (ABP) delegate for 10 years, ABP Chair (2023–2025), a graduate of the Canadian Cattle Young Leaders program (2012), and a past board member of the Canadian Cattle Youth Council (2014–2016).
British Columbia
Renee Ardill
Renee is a Director and Board Member appointed by the British Columbia Cattlemen’s Association (BCCA). She is a member of the Environment, Domestic Agriculture Policy and Regulations, and Animal Health and Care Committees. Her goals are to work with her fellow board members to create awareness in the government and consumers about the value of cattle grazing on the environment. Additionally, she hopes to help find sensible and workable solutions to the care and transport of livestock.
Renee is a Past President of BCCA and currently President of the North Peace Cattlemen’s Association. Outside of the cattle industry, she is a Past President and long-time member of the Double H Saddle Club and served as arena director for her local rodeo.
Learn more about Renee’s operation and family
Renee’s grandparents settled in the Peace River Valley in 1920 and she is now the third generation on the ranch. She ranches with her brother Don, partner Karen McKean, and ranch hand and family friend Michelle Van Stam. Renee’s nephew Travis Winnicky and his family often help on the ranch as well.
They run a cow-calf operation with 350 mother cows and have a small purebred herd. They raise a few bulls for their own use and for sale. Their herd is mainly Hereford, and they use horned Hereford bulls. They have been selling calves through VJV auction both through the auction mart and on the satellite sale. Additionally, the ranch is Verified Beef Production Plus certified.
The ranch has wild range bounded by two rivers and good water. Renee is interested in learning about anything that improves the productivity and sustainability of the ranch.
Renee has a Bachelor of Physical Education from the University of British Columbia.
Brian Thomas
Brian is a third-generation rancher in Okanagan Falls. The Thomas family have a long history in cattle ranching in the South Okanagan having come to the area in 1898.
Working alongside his son-in-law and cousin, they raise 180 cow-calf pairs and 20 yearlings on the ranch.
An active volunteer, Brian has been involved in his local and regional stockmen’s associations as well as the BC Livestock Co-op board for many years. Elected as a BCCA Director in 2016, he was later elected to the roles of Vice-President and President in 2022. Brian is a second-generation President of BCCA, filling the position 50 years after his father Morrie. Now, as Past President, Brian still stays involved with external committees. He’s also served as a director for the South Okanagan Stockmen’s Association, the Grasslands Conservation Council of BC, and represents the BCCA on the BC Agriculture Council.
Brian and his wife Sandy have three daughters and five grandchildren, some of whom live on the ranch.
Alberta
Jim Bowhay
Jim Bowhay along with his wife and four children own and operate a successful mixed farming operation in the Sundre Area.
Jim has had leadership in a wide variety of organizations:
50+ years in 4-H (from a member, to a beef leader, to show and sale committee chair, to now enjoying being a mentor)
Sundre & District Agriculture Society – Current board member
Alberta Beef Producers- Delegate – Current
Livestock Identification Services: Brand Inspection (past)
– 4 years in the field as an Inspector
– Board member/Treasurer
– Board Chairman
Feeder Association of Alberta-Zone 2 Director and Vice-Chairman of Provincial Board
East Olds Feeder Association member for 37 years – current Board Chairman
Four-time Canadian Wild Cow Milking Champion – 1998, 2000, 2003, 2008
Calgary Stampede Wild Cow Milking Champion – 1998, 2001, 2002
Member of the Minister of Agriculture’s advisory committee (past)
2013 Sundre Small Business Awards, Farm Family of the Year
2019 Mountainview Farm Family Award
2019 BMO Farm Family Award at Calgary Stampede
Jim Bowhay has cultivated strong working relationship with many different levels of both municipal and provincial government officials.
Jim’s 40+ years in 4-H as a member, leader and later a mentor has given him an ability not only to speak but communicate with people whether in the work world or in the many different committees he has served on.
Jim has been a farmer/rancher his whole life and not only has a passion for the industry and its sustainability but more so the youth and how we can give them the tools to not only carry on but really succeed.
Jim is looking forward to this year sitting on Foreign Trade and the Domestic Agriculture Policy and Regulations committees.
In closing Jim prides himself in his ability of Listening to Understand not just to reply! His favorite saying is “God gave us 2 ears and 1 mouth for a reason!”
Graham Overguard
Graham was elected to the CCA board in 2023 representing Alberta Beef Producers and the Western Stock Growers Association (WSGA). He is co-chair of the Environment Committee a member of the Foreign Trade Committee. Graham got involved with CCA to advocate for the beef industry, the cow-calf sector, and family-run farms and ranches. His goals on the CCA board are to effect positive change for the beef industry with common sense solutions.
Graham has been on the board of directors of the WSGA since 2020 and has been President of WSGA since 2022. In 2014, Graham was elected President of the James River Community Association, a position he still holds to this day. He served on the board of directors of Friends of the Eastern Slopes from 2019 until the spring of 2023.
Learn more about Graham’s operation and family
Graham is a fifth-generation rancher from the James River area (Northwest of Sundre Alberta). While growing up, Graham was fortunate enough to work with cattle and in the field, alongside his father Dennis and grandfather George Overguard for many years.
Together with his father, Graham runs 230 commercial cow-calf pairs that are primarily Simmental-Angus cross cows, and 50 yearling heifers. Graham remains a committed and outspoken advocate for the beef industry. In particular, the cow-calf sector. He is and always will be a proud Albertan. They utilize rotational grazing and solar-powered seasonal watering systems.
Brayden Schmidt
Brayden Schmidt
Karen Shaw
Karen Shaw, along with her husband Stuart, manages a cow/calf operation, farming on the homestead established around 1903.
Karen is a former Sturgeon County Councilor, serving 14 years as a representative to the eastern side of the county. In that time, Karen worked with every level of government.
In addition, Karen spent many years as an Assistant Leader with 4-H. She also worked with industry to establish a scholarship fund for members entering post-secondary education. Karen still serves on the Scholarship Committee, and sits on ABP’s Governance Committee.
Kailey Wirsta
Kailey, alongside her family, owns and operates K-Cow Ranch—a 300-head purebred cow/calf operation raising Hereford, Charolais, and Black Angus cattle. With a strong background in cattle management, breeding, and herd health, Kailey is committed to producing top-tier genetics for both the commercial and purebred sectors.
In addition to her work on the ranch, Kailey is an active leader in her community. As Chair of the Stoney Lake Community Association, she plays a key role in organizing events, supporting local initiatives, and encouraging resident involvement. She also leads the association’s communications and social media efforts, using creative outreach to build a strong and connected community.
Deeply passionate about the future of Canada’s beef industry, Kailey is a proud advocate for producers, rural communities, and the next generation of agricultural leaders. She is especially focused on supporting youth involvement through mentorship and education, while also promoting innovation and sustainable growth across the industry. With a forward-thinking mindset and deep roots in agriculture, Kailey is committed to building a resilient and vibrant future for Canadian beef.
Miles Wowk
Miles is a Board Member for Alberta and member of the Animal Health and Care and Environment Committees. Miles got involved in CCA because he felt cattle producers needed a stronger voice with government especially regarding animal health and the environment. Miles’ goals on the board surround emergency preparedness, especially regarding Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) and he is excited we are making some headway on that topic and collaborating with the hog industry.
Miles is also on the Verified Beef Production Plus (VBP+) Management Committee and North Saskatchewan Water Shed Alliance representing agriculture. He also donates his time to various charity auctions and 4-H sales.
Learn more about Miles’ operation and family
Miles is the fourth generation on the farm run by himself, his wife Melanie, and children and their partners. The farm consists of 250 red and black Simmental and red and black Angus cows. The farm is Verified Beef Production Plus and Canadian Roundtable for Sustainable Beef certified. They make use of rotational grazing and solar-powered water pumps with a well every mile to ensure cattle always have fresh water.
Unique to their ranch, Miles’ wife Melanie is a Veterinarian which helps them greatly on the animal health front at home. They also breed 70 mares and market ranch, pleasure and team horses including exporting many to the United States.
Miles has been an auctioneer for 38 years with sales all over North America for cattle, horses, equipment and vehicles.
Saskatchewan
Lynn Grant
Lynn is a Board Member for Saskatchewan and Co-Chair of the Environment Committee. He is also a member of the Domestic Agriculture Policy and Regulations Committee. He got involved in CCA under the realization that the government needs coaching in developing policy that affects the agriculture sector and he hopes to provide the government with recommendations on good policy.
Lynn is previously a Saskatchewan Stock Growers Association President and a Beef Cattle Research Council Beef Research Mentorship program Mentor.
Learn more about Lynn’s operation and family
Lynn farms with his brother and some staff at Val Marie in southwestern Saskatchewan on their mixed cattle and grain farm. The herd consists of 700 mixed-breed commercial cows. The farm is Verified Beef Production Plus Certified.
Lynn is a soil health enthusiast and is interested in learning how to make initiatives taken to improve soil more profitable to encourage more producers to use environmentally sustainable practices.
Karla Hicks
Karla and her husband, Jason ranch at Parkbeg, Saskatchewan. They have a cow/calf, background and grass operation. They also finish specialized cattle and market them through their own frozen branded beef product—Bluestone Home Grown Angus Beef.
Their children and spouses are the fifth generation of Hicks to ranch and work alongside Karla and her husband. The sixth generation with grandson Walker and granddaughters Evie Anne and Steelie has joined the family.
Karla is currently co-chair of the CCA Foreign Trade Committee, a member of the CCA Environment Committee, chair of Sask VBP+, a member of the Canadian Roundtable for Sustainable Beef Policy and Framework Committee, and a board member of the Saskatchewan Farmland Security Board. Her past experience also includes serving as a director and past chair of Saskatchewan Cattle Feeders Association, Director at Large for Saskatchewan Stock Growers Association, Chair of Saskatchewan Prairie Conservation Action Plan, board member of Saskatchewan Angus Association, as well as many years with 4-H as a member and a Leader of the Moose Jaw 4-H Beef Club. Her most memorable time was on the Canadian Beef Export Federation before it evolved into Canada Beef with the Canadian Cattle Association. Her experience there was priceless–learning about Canada’s role internationally and sharing time with international counterparts including many from Asia. Hearing how they loved and wanted Canada’s product was heart warming to her and proved over and over again that Canadian beef producers were on the right path.
Karla and Jason have hit every major market crash, black swan and weather event possible since 1995, but in the midst of it all, they tried to find a way to work for industry and to share their resilient ranching story.
They have developed excellent working relationships with Ducks Unlimited Canada, Nature Conservancy, South of the Divide Conservation Action Program and other conservation agencies whose plans and goals align with theirs.
In 2015, Karla and her husband were humbled to receive Saskatchewan’s The Environmental Stewardship Award (TESA). They always look for ways to or share awareness by volunteering their ranch for videos, tours or demos. Recently they participated in the videos the SK Cattlemen’s Association’s Dome event, sharing our ranching story and beef production with school age children. They also offer ranch tours to the University of Saskatchewan for land research projects and Beef Science tours.
Philip Lynn
Philip is a representative for the Saskatchewan Cattle Association on the board and a member of the Animal Health and Care and Domestic Agriculture Policy and Regulations Committees. He got involved with CCA to assist in maintaining a viable and competitive Canadian beef industry, hoping to be part of the solution to many industry issues. Philip’s goals are to allow our beef producers to be competitive within national and international markets with common sense policies and regulations.
Philip is currently on the Saskatchewan Cattle Feeders Association (SCFA). He is also a past District Representative and past SCFA rep on the Saskatchewan Cattlemen’s Association. He is currently a member of the Saskatchewan Cattlemen’s Association and Saskatchewan Stock Growers Association. Additionally, he is an alumnus of the Canada’s Outstanding Young Farmers Program.
Learn more about Philip’s operation and family
With a strong partnership of family and like-minded partners, Philip has a ranching, farming, and feedlot operation near Moose Jaw, SK. Philip runs a diversified operation covering all aspects of beef production from cow-calf to backgrounding and from grass cattle to finish cattle. They are also involved in grain farming and trucking. He is a third-generation beef producer and farmer and is now proud to support the next generation in their beef production and farming operations.
Beef production has always been front and centre of Philip’s interests. He feels the biggest challenge of the future is the declining knowledge of animal health in our labour force. He is really interested in how new technology will address education challenges and labour shortages in the beef industry.
Manitoba
Matthew Atkinson
Matthew Atkinson
Mike Duguid
Mike is a Board Member representing Manitoba, and a member of the Animal Health and Care and Environment Committees. Mike started with Manitoba Beef Producers and was recommended to represent them at CCA. Mike’s goals are to ensure policy benefits the whole industry.
Mike is also Vice President of Manitoba Beef Producers and Co-Chair of the Manitoba Forage and Grass Association.
Learn more about Mike’s operation and family
Mike is a second-generation farmer, working in partnership with his son and his family on their 250 head cow-calf operation. Mike is proud of his grandkids who are now the fourth generation to be involved in the farm operation. They raise and keep their own replacement heifers and precondition the rest of their calves until they are sold in January.
They utilize rotational grazing and unique cover crops each year. With Mike’s interest in soil health, the farm is also involved in a three-year General Mills program for soil health and Mike has helped answer university professor questions on soil health from a producer perspective.
Arvid Nottveit
Arvid is a Board Member elected in 2022 representing Manitoba and serves on the Food Policy and Domestic Agriculture Policy and Regulations Committees. He is passionate about helping producers focus on transition planning and has a special interest in business risk management.
He volunteers locally on the Manitoba Beef Producers, Homebrook-Peonan Point Council, Interlake Cattle Cooperative. Arvid also sits on his local church Council and is a volunteer firefighter. His wife and family ranch on Peonan Point as the Tribar Ranching Company.
Their 350 cow-calf operation is located on the north end of Lake Manitoba, an area that experienced a large flood in 2011. Arvid recalls many local producers coming to his assistance to help him through the disaster and sees serving on the CCA Board as a way of repaying those Manitoba producers who helped him.
Ontario
Don Hargrave
Don Hargrave, with his brother and family, operate a fourth-generation beef farm in Grey County. The family maintains 100 purebred Black Angus cows, sells 20-25 bulls and 30 females per year, and finishes the balance for a branded beef program. They also grow grain crops, hay forage crops, and pasture. Don is a director with the Grey County Beef Farmers, chairperson of the Grey Dufferin Community Pasture, president with the Ontario Association of Community Pastures, and past director of the Ontario Angus Association. Don currently represents BFO as a board member with the Canadian Cattle Association and the Canadian Cattle Identification Agency.
Jason LeBlond
Jason is a Board Member representing Ontario, co-chair of the Domestic Agriculture Policy and Regulations Committee, and a member of the Foreign Trade Committee. Jason appreciates the opportunity to represent Ontario producers at CCA and enjoys putting his skills and passion to work by helping CCA’s leadership team and staff advance policy files that are of importance to cattle producers across Canada.
Jason has been on the Beef Farmers of Ontario board for seven years and currently serves as vice president of the association. Jason also sits as first vice president of the Ontario Agriculture Commodity Council. He has been involved with his local Federation of Agriculture and local beef farmers group.
Learn more about Jason’s operation and family
Jason is a first-generation farmer, and he is grateful for his family’s support in achieving this dream. They run a commercial cow-calf operation in Chisholm Township just east of Powassan, Ontario, and market cattle at Ontario Stockyards Inc. in Cookstown. They started with four cows in 2007 and have been growing since. Jason is working on improving his pastures and fencing for future growth. Jason attributes much of his learning in the past years to his involvement in boards and learning from his peers.
Jason is a Civil Engineering Technologist graduate from Cambrian College and now works as a roads supervisor with the city of North Bay.
Craig McLaughlin
Craig McLaughlin
Jim Whitley
Jim and his family operate a 50-head commercial Charolais cow-calf herd that is VBP+ certified in Simcoe County an hour north of Toronto. They background half of their calves and finish the remainder for the local freezer beef market. Jim is a VBP+ Auditor and has audited farms across Canada. Jim worked for Honda Canada Manufacturing for 30 years with the last 10 years spent as Purchasing Quality Manager. Jim is very active in his community, including roles with the Simcoe County Beef Farmers, as well as the church, community hall, minor hockey, curling, and other community initiatives.
Quebec
Sylvain Bourque
Sylvain Bourque
New Brunswick
John Schuttenbeld
John is the New Brunswick representative to the board and a member of the Animal Health and Care and Food Policy Committees. He was asked by his provincial organization to sit on the board and saw it as a wonderful opportunity. John’s goal is to learn more about CCA and bring some new ideas that he has learned from previous organizations that will benefit the beef industry nationally.
John currently sits on the New Brunswick Cattle Producers board. For 10 years, John was a director with Dairytown products, a butter and milk powder ingredient manufacturer, located in Sussex, New Brunswick. John is also presently a Dairy Farmers of New Brunswick representative for the New Brunswick Agriculture Alliance, as well as a representative for local rural development organizations.
Learn more about John’s operation and family
John farms with his wife Wanda and their youngest son Harrison. John’s parents immigrated from Holland, and founded the farm in the late 50’s just outside of Fredericton, New Brunswick. John’s family has a purebred Holstein dairy herd and breeds a percentage of their herd to beef bulls. They then sell their dairy-beef cross calves to a local beef farmer at fourteen days of age. Their farm is situated along the St. John River Valley where there is a mix of beef, vegetable, cranberry, strawberry, raspberry, and sod farms.
John is very excited and looks forward to working with CCA and learning more about it as a national organization and its importance in relation to our provincial counterparts.
Nova Scotia
Victor Oulton
Victor represents the Nova Scotia Cattle Producers on the board and is the Maritime Director. He is also co-chair of the Animal Health and Care Committee and a member of the Environment Committee. Victor’s family has always been involved in the cattle business and his father was involved with CCA back in the 60’s. Victor ultimately got involved to ensure the cattle industry is here for the next generation. His goals are to ensure the cattle industry is the best it can be now and for the next generation moving forward. He feels it is an important economic driver for Canada and it is important we support it in every way we can.
Victor is currently the Vice President of Nova Scotia Cattle Producers. He is a past President of the Nova Scotia Federation of Agriculture and also served as a long-time board member. He is also a past President of the Canadian Hereford Association and has been involved with several different Hereford organizations. Victor has spent many years involved with the Windsor Agriculture Society and 4-H.
Learn more about Victor’s operation and family
Victor is the fourth generation on his family farm near Windsor, Nova Scotia. It was started by his great grandfather when he graduated from the Nova Scotia Agricultural College. The farm is a family affair with Victor, his wife Nova Dawn and their children farming alongside his parents, and his brother and his family.
The 2,000-acre farm consists of 150 cows, mainly of Hereford and Red Angus breeds as well as some commercial cows. The Oulton’s fully finish all their calves. They have their own abattoir and sell their beef off farm with delivery to Halifax. The farm is highly diversified as they also raise chickens, sheep, deer, elk, and wild boar, and grow apples and grains. The farm is also a Verified Beef Production Plus certified farm.
Prince Edward Island
Kevin Simmons
Kevin is a Board Member representing Prince Edward Island Cattle Producers (PEICP). He is a member of the Domestic Agriculture Policy and Regulations, Foreign Trade and Food Policy committees. Kevin’s involvement with CCA stems from him wanting to learn more about the opportunities and challenges in the beef industry and contributing to help make some positive changes for the benefit of cattle producers.
Kevin sits as a director for the PEICP and is a past Chair for PEICP. His community involvement includes sitting on the boards of his local Co-Op and a local community pasture, and being a 4-H leader for over 20 years.
Learn more about Kevin’s operation and family
Kevin owns and operates Wilsim Farms, which was established in 1993 as a cow-calf operation with 100 head. Kevin started finishing his own calves in 1997 and it grew to a 250 head feedlot by 2003. The farm started with mixed commercial breeds and changed to mostly black breeds by 2012. He currently uses three Black Simmental Bulls and calves 65 cows in April and May with the remaining 40 cows calving in August and September. Kevin uses no barns for the cow-calf portion of his operation; only the feedlot operation uses barns. The farm has been Verified Beef Production Plus certified since the program began.
In addition to the farm, Kevin has a trucking service that specializes in delivering dairy cull cows and finished beef animals to the local beef plant on PEI. Kevin is particularly interested in sustainability, nutrition, marketing, and soil health.