Dairy farmers James and Amanda Kinsman of Berwick, Nova Scotia are the 2013 Outstanding Young Farmers (OYF) for the Atlantic region
Dairy farmers James and Amanda Kinsman of Berwick, Nova Scotia are the 2013 Outstanding Young Farmers (OYF) for the Atlantic region. Named recently at an event in Moncton, New Brunswick, the Kinsman’s will represent the region later this year at the national OYF event later this year.
In the last five years, James and Amanda have doubled the size of their dairy operation, milking 190 Holstein cows three times a day and farming 1,700 acres at their Windcrest Farm Ltd. A stagnant quota market inspired them to branch into grain farming, using the same equipment for feed production they used for the dairy. A strong sense of stewardship and desire to ensure a solid foundation for the next generation guides the decisions James and Amanda make on their operation.
“Making progress in agriculture today involves a broader range of expertise and insights than ever before,” says OYF 2nd Vice President Luanne Lynne. “The Kinsman’s have married the successes of past generations on their family farm with ideas that are working to sustain their operation well into the future. They are excellent ambassadors for modern Canadian agriculture.”
The Kinsman’s were chosen at a recent banquet held in Moncton, New Brunswick attended by John MacQuarrie, PEI Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Peter Rideout from the Nova Scotia Department of Agriculture. The other honourees were dairy farmers Joas and Lisa van Oord of Springfield, New Brunswick.
James joined the family farm in 2001, after graduating from the Nova Scotia Agricultural College, working with his father before taking over management and eventually ownership of the family operation. Focusing on efficiency, high milk production and growth has helped James and Amanda increase their milking herd size and earn special recognition in 2011 a the 10-year recipients of the Dairy Farmers of Nova Scotia Excellence Award.
Amanda recently completed her Masters, after earning her education degree. With twin two-year-old daughters, the Kinsman’s find time to contribute in their community to organizations including 4-H. They believe there is no better life for a family than living and working together on a farm.
Celebrating 33 years of identifying great agricultural successes, Canada’s Outstanding Young Farmers’ program is an annual competition to recognize farmers that exemplify excellence in their profession and promote the tremendous contribution of agriculture. Open to participants 18 to 39 years of age, making the majority of income from on-farm sources, participants are selected from seven regions across Canada, with two national winners chosen each year. The program is sponsored nationally by CIBC, John Deere, Bayer CropScience, and Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, and supported nationally by AdFarm and Farm Management Canada.
Canada’s Outstanding Young Farmers for 2013 will be chosen at the National Event in Regina, Saskatchewan from November 12-17, 2013.
Joan Cranston, Program Manager, Canada’s Outstanding Young Farmers’ Program,(905) 648-0176 ·cranstonclydes@yahoo.com ·www.oyfcanada.com
