Nanton (Rural Roots Canada) – Ranchers John Smith and Laura Laing, who own Plateau Cattle Co. near Nanton, Alberta, have spent their lives improving their cattle herds’ health and welfare.

Plateau Cattle Co., which is home to 450 black angus and black angus cross cows, has been named as the recipient of the Alberta Beef Producers’ 2025 Environmental Stewardship award, an honour that recognizes exceptional commitment to sustainable ranching practices and contributions to the beef industry.

Smith says they just want to produce healthy, good-quality beef.

“I think we do an excellent job of that. The vast majority of our beef is produced in a regenerative, sustainable fashion. I think that’s a great story to tell,” says Smith.

Laing says their cattle and land stewardship practices are a combination of tradition and technology.

“We take the knowledge and the mentorship, the values and integrity, then we combine that with drones, chutes, technology, HerdTrax, research data and DNA,” says Laing.

Another great example of that is the internet tower they installed in 2018 to improve connectivity for their business and neighbouring ranches.

The ranch, located in the rolling foothills of southern Alberta, has a long history, having been started by Smith’s grandparents, John and Shirley Hay, in 1959.

READ MORE: Nova Scotia’s Holdanca Farms Wins Prestigious Environmental Stewardship Award

Their love for land stewardship has also led them to be active members in the Spruce and Walderon Grazing Co-Operatives.

On the animal welfare and efficiency front, they have adopted innovative handling techniques inspired by Dr. Temple Grandin.

This includes not branding their calves.

“That whole idea of stress response was something that really resonated with us, because her thought was, every time after that branding event when that calf saw a horse, a rider and a rope, that impacts stress, weight and illness just like in people, so we want to remove that as much as possible,” says Laing

Laing and Smith’s open-door policy fosters education and mentorship in sustainable ranching.

Their commitment to continuous improvement and sustainability is reflected in their numerous certifications, including the Canadian Roundtable for Sustainable Beef and Verified Beef Production Plus.

The 2025 Environmental Stewardship Award is supported by Ducks Unlimited Canada and the Nature Conservancy of Canada.