Holistic Management Canada is an active organization with more than two hundred practitioners participating in more than thirty different management groups. Currently, there are ten Holistic Management educators in Canada providing education and support for these groups.

In collaboration with the Manitoba Agriculture, Food & Rural Initiatives (MAFRI), Holistic Management Canada has sponsored annual Holistic Management conferences drawing over 200 participants. Likewise, MAFRI and other provincial agencies have helped provide some of the funding for Holistic Management courses offered in Manitoba.

Sustainable Grazing Mentorship Program

A recent new initiative offered by the Manitoba Forage Council is Grazing Clubs. The activities of the Grazing Clubs are supported by: Ducks Unlimited Canada, Manitoba Forage Council, Manitoba Agriculture, Food and Rural Initiatives, Covering New Ground Program, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Greencover Technical Assistance Program, Greenhouse Gas Mitigation Program in partnership with the Canadian Cattlemen’s Association, Soil Conservation Council of Canada, Manitoba Cattle Producers Association and Promark Seed.

A subset of the grazing clubs program is the Sustainable Grazing Mentorship Program,

which connects experienced graziers with novice producers to help them incorporate best management practices into their operations. The mentor visits a farm and/or by telephone for up to 16 hours (2 days) to help create or modify the farm plan. The mentor helps with all aspects of forage and livestock production and development. Many of these mentors are Holistic Management practitioners.

To learn more about MAFRI’s collaboration with Holistic Management Canada and Sustainable Grazing Mentorship Program, contact Pam Iwanchysko at: Pamela.Iwanchysko@gov.mb.ca

Holistic Management & Heifer International Canada

Holistic Management Educators, Ralph & Linda Corcoran, are collaborating with Heifer International Canada as mentors to beginning farmers in Heifer’s beginning farmers program. To learn more about this program, contact: Ralph & Linda Corcoran at: rlcorcoran@sasktel.net.

Canadian Holistic Management Learning Site

Tony & Fran McQuail operate a Holistic Management learning site at Meeting Place Organic Farm, a 100-acre family farm they have owned and operated since 1973. It is located southeast of Lucknow in the picturesque rolling farmland of northern Huron County in Ontario. The McQuail's produce grass-fed beef and lamb, drug-free pork, organic apples and apple butter, fresh vegetables and heritage tomato seedlings and herbs. They farm organically with Belgian horses and have a mixed livestock operation designed to nourish the soil and produce food in an ecologically sustainable manner. As members of the Ecological Farmer’s Association, some of their farm products have been certified organic for 23 years.

To make arrangements for a farm tour of Meeting Place Organic Farm, go to: http://www.meetingplaceorganicfarm.ca/holistic.html