By Hannah Polk, Communications Consultant, Regina
Tucked away at the end of a winding gravel road in southwest Saskatchewan, between the rolling hills and wide-open skies, Erika and Cyle Stewart are shaping the future of ranching.
As the 2024 recipients of Saskatchewan’s Outstanding Young Farmers award, their story is one of determination, innovation and a commitment to sustainable agriculture.
The couple operates Pine Ranch, a commercial cow/calf and yearling operation with a focus on soil health, cattle nutrition and low-stress animal handling.
For Erika, ranching is more than a career—it’s in her blood.
“I grew up on Pine Ranch in Merritt, BC,” Erika said. “In 2017, we sold our ranch in BC and moved the entire operation—cows and everything—to Saskatchewan.”
Though the name ‘Pine Ranch’ may seem odd in the middle of the bald prairie, the Stewarts kept the name to honour their family’s history.
The decision to move was not made lightly. Seeking new opportunities and a future where they could grow their operation, they chose Saskatchewan, a province with abundant opportunity and a deep-rooted agricultural community.
Like many young farmers, Erika and Cyle face various challenges, with land acquisition being at the top of the list.
“We’ve been fortunate in our situation with Erika’s parents, but not everyone has that opportunity,” Cyle said.
Despite the obstacles, the Stewarts still see great opportunities in agriculture.
“At the end of the day, we’re producing food for people,” Erika said. “That’s not going to go away, so there’s always potential as long as we remain sustainable in all the pillars—environmentally, but also financially.”
Sustainability isn’t just a buzzword for the Stewarts—it’s woven into every decision they make on Pine Ranch.
A key aspect of this is their approach to grazing management, specifically Adaptive Multi-Paddock (AMP) grazing, which Cyle cites as making a noticeable impact.
“AMP grazing has allowed us to give our pastures longer rest periods,” Cyle said. By moving the cattle more often, it gives the land time to recover and regenerate.
Though AMP grazing is gaining popularity, it’s not yet standard across the industry.
“There are lots of people doing it,” Cyle said, “but it’s not concentrated in one area. We’ve connected with ranchers in places like Montana, northern Saskatchewan and southern Alberta, and we’re all seeing the benefits.”
This approach not only improves the health of the land but also enhances cattle nutrition. By allowing the grass to regrow more fully, the cattle receive better-quality feed, which in turn supports their overall health and productivity.
Whether it’s managing soil health, cattle nutrition or grazing strategies, the couple takes a long-term view.
“We try to look at it as a big, integrated puzzle,” Erika said. “For example, we could keep the cattle in a pasture longer to save on feeding costs, but if that harms the grass, if you take [the grass] down too low, then there’s not enough soil cover, which then impacts soil health.”
Looking ahead, the Stewarts are excited about new innovations they’re implementing on their ranch. One area they’re particularly passionate about is water infrastructure.
“We’ve been working on this a lot, and it’s almost addictive once you get started,” Cyle said, adding that they put in shallow buried pipelines this year that hook up to their portal troughs “and it gives us way more opportunity for grazing management—where our paddocks are and how big our paddocks are.”
Erika echoes his enthusiasm. “In things that we’ve read, webinars and grazing workshops we’ve attended, the evidence says you can really increase production while improving soil health, which also comes with a myriad of other benefits like improved habitat for all the other animals that call our ranch home, too.”
For Erika and Cyle, the journey of ranching is one of continuous learning.
The Stewarts have participated in numerous mentorship programs, such as the Beef Cattle Research Council (BCRC) mentorship, which pairs producers with researchers.
Passionate about advocacy, Erika enjoys sharing the story of beef production with consumers and currently coordinates the Verified Beef Production Plus program in Saskatchewan. She also completed the Cattlemen’s Young Leaders program and Canadian Western Agribition’s Next Gen Mentorship Program, funded through the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership, as a mentee and served as the inaugural president of the Young Cattlemen’s Council.
Cyle’s commitment to the industry is reflected in his roles on the Canadian Ranch Roping Association board of directors and as an RM counsellor. Additionally, he holds an executive position on the SaskAgMatters Mental Health Network, contributing his expertise and leadership to the sector.
Through these connections and mentorship opportunities, they’ve learned invaluable lessons from other ranchers and industry experts.
“We’ve gained so much knowledge from meeting people and hearing about their experiences,” Erika said. “It’s about being open to new ideas. A couple of years ago, Cyle wasn’t a fan of electric fences. But after seeing the benefits and talking to people, he’s changed his mind. It’s about always being willing to learn.”
As Erika and Cyle continue to innovate and adapt, they are not only working to secure the future of Pine Ranch but also contributing to the sustainability of the beef industry as a whole.
“For us, it’s not so much about our recognition, but recognition for the beef industry, which I feel has been like a long time coming.” Erika said. “We’re always learning and trying to implement practices that are going to benefit our animals and the land that we raise our animals on.”
The Stewarts are humbled to receive the award of Saskatchewan’s Outstanding Young Farmers.
“It’s an honour,” Cyle said. “We’ve got so much to learn yet, but it gives us confidence that we’re doing positive things.”