2025 Environmental Stewardship Award nominations open

Nominations for Alberta’s prestigious Environmental Stewardship Award (ESA) are now open.

The Environmental Stewardship Award recognizes cattle producers who go above and beyond in their commitment to environmental stewardship.

The 2025 ESA recipient(s) will receive a commemorative gate sign and an all-expenses paid trip from anywhere in Alberta to the 2025 Alberta Beef Industry Stampede Summit in Calgary, AB.

Meet the 2024 ESA recipients

Nominations must be received by 11:59 p.m. on March 15, 2025.

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Nominations

All beef cattle farms, feedlots, and ranches in Alberta are eligible for nomination. Operations can be self-nominated by managers or employees or be nominated by an individual or organization.

Past nominees are eligible and encouraged to submit an updated application.

Requirements

To be considered for the 2025 ESA, nomination submissions must include:

• a Microsoft Word document containing contact information and written responses to the various topics outlined below,
• two reference letters, and
• photos backing up the application.

Word Document

The Word Document must be under 10 pages in length, and include the following.

Contact information

• Name, mailing address, email, and phone number for the nominator.
• Name, mailing address, email, and phone number for the nominee(s).
• The nominees’ farm name.

Written responses

1. Provide a description of the farm/ranch including the environment in which it operates and
   any historical information.
2. What have the nominees done/what are they doing to improve environmental management
   on the farm (energy, water, land, wildlife, etc.)?
3. What are the nominees’ challenges and successes? Please include high-resolution images and data
   which help show measurable results.
4. What factors have enabled the nominees’ to make management changes? For example, working with conservation organizations, government and non-government agencies, forage associations,
   programs such as the Environmental Farm Plan, education, etc.
5. What are the nominees’ environmental goals for the future and how do they plan to carry them out?
6. Describe any off-farm employment and how it factors into the nominees’ work on the cattle operation.
7. Provide a video presentation link or media stories/broadcasts showcasing the nominees’ stewardship efforts, if available.

Reference Letters

Include two letters of reference that speak to the nominees’ leadership in conservation.

Photos

Attach or include in your submission, a selection of no less than 10 high-resolution images suitable for reproduction on social media, print etc. These might include photos of the nominees on the land, projects accomplished under the nominees’ leadership, or any other images that back up the written application.

Evaluation criteria

The ESA Awarding Committee will consider:

• the nominees’ philosophy and management plan for range/cropland;
• riparian areas and water;
• wintering or feeding sites;
• manure management;
• wildlife and wildlife habitat; and
• animal welfare.

They will also consider nominees’ involvement in the community, extension, and environmental stewardship activities, as well as their goals, implementation, and accomplishments.

Submitting nominations

Nominations must be submitted to Debra Murphy, Stakeholder Relations Manager, Alberta Beef Producers, by 11:59 p.m. on March 15, 2025.

Debra Murphy
c/o Alberta Beef Producers
120-7777 10 ST NE
Calgary AB T2E 8X2
debram@albertabeef.org

The 2025 ESA recipient(s) will be announced at the Alberta Beef Industry Stampede Summit.