Suzanne Ference is the fourth generation on Rutledge Ranching Monitor. The ranch has operated in the same location for the past 113 years. Located in Special Areas 4 in Alberta, Canada, she and her husband Justin, along with their 5 children, aged 6-22, operate a cow-calf and grain operation.

Presently, they run about 1000 cows. They raise their own replacement heifers and have started selling some bred replacement heifers this year. Along with the cattle, they farm approximately 4000 acres of crop land and do some custom cropping.

The farm team consists of Suzanne, Justin, two of their sons and one hired full time ranch employee, along with seasonal employees. Suzanne’s dad is retired, but helps out on the farm in whatever capacity he wants to, and is involved in the aspects of the business he enjoys.

Suzanne is very proud that some of her children are interested in coming back to the family farm. Some of them like to work cattle and one of her boys is interested in the machinery side of the business.

Since Suzanne was young, she knew she wanted to be on the farm and would declare to her parents that she was going to run the ranch someday. She can’t see herself being anywhere else. Suzanne’s goal is to continue to make Rutledge Ranching Monitor sustainable for generations to come, not only financially, but environmentally as well, leaving the plants and the soil better than she found them.

Today we are chatting with Suzanne about her experience being raised on and transitioning to the position of owner and manager of a generational ranch.

Suzanne shares some of her early memories growing up on the ranch and what the process looked like during the transition to her management and ownership of the ranch. Along with learning a lot from her dad, Suzanne also took the Ranching for Profit program through Ranch Management Consultants (RMC) and she and her parents participated in RMC’s Executive Link (EL) program through the transition of the business. Several years later, Suzanne and Justin returned to the EL program, to continue being challenged in the business.

Suzanne also discusses their enterprise mix on the farm, giving us insight into some of the challenges in both cropping and cattle management in Special Areas 4. She also talks about her roles in the business, challenges and opportunities in owning and operating a farm at their size and scale and her goals for the future of Rutledge Ranching Monitor.

To contact Suzanne, you can email her at [email protected]

Stay tuned for Rutledge Ranching Monitor’s Facebook page and Website which are coming soon!

The research programs and daily operations at MBFI would not be possible without the funding from the Province of Manitoba, Government of Canada, and Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership, as well as the partnership with Manitoba Agriculture, Manitoba Beef Producers (MBP) and Ducks Unlimited Canada (DUC).

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