Carl Block Memorial Stewardship Education Fund

Carl Block (1944 to 2002) – The Legacy Lives On

Carl believed in what he did and he had the strength to stand up to the detractors… He was my mentor and my confident. – Brian Weedon

When actions serve to maintain the balance between conservation and development, there is no limit to the long-term benefits. The legacy of Carl Block is testimony to this. Carl was an innovator in a profession steeped in tradition. He moved his family from Alberta to the Great Sand Hills of Saskatchewan in 1986. The Block ranch included a 900 head cow/calf herd encompassing some 60,000 acres of prairie grasslands, which has been sustained by the Block family. Carl lived his beliefs of sustainable land stewardship and sound animal husbandry. Moreover, his enthusiasm for land reclamation and soil conservation was contagious. In the words of a fellow rancher and friend Brian Weedon: “Carl believed in what he did and he had the strength to stand up to the detractors… He was my mentor and my confident.”

The legacy of Carl Block takes many forms. He served in several capacities, including President of the Saskatchewan Stock Growers Association, Director of the Canadian Cattlemen’s Association, Chairman of the Animal Health and Meat Inspection Committee, Chairman of the Canadian Animal Health Coalition, and Director of the Canadian Cattle Identification Agency among many other positions. His dedication to advancing the cattle industry was provincial, national, and international in scope; he recognized the strategic interrelations among animal health, land preservation, food product safety, trade policies, and the realities of ranching in a highly competitive and often volatile marketplace.

A natural teacher and instinctive leader, Carl founded the Rangeland Reclamation, a company that broke new ground in addressing the sensitive issues of grassland re-vegetation and reclamation. In recognition of his multiple achievements and genuine dedication to the cattle industry and the indigenous grasses of the Prairies, the Block family — wife Pat and children Jennifer, Mary Jane, Neil and Kristina — in collaboration with the Saskatchewan Stock Growers Association established the Carl Block Memorial Stewardship Education Fund in 2002.

Who’s Eligible?

Individuals and groups

Deadline for Applications

November 30

How to Apply

Email your application to both of the following email addresses: ssga@sasktel.net and blocks.ranching@xplornet.com.

Applications should include the following:

• Contact information
• Project description
• Project justification/rationale
• Funding information

Contribute to the Fund

If you’d like to contribute to this fund, please note Carl Block Fund on your cheque and make it payable to the Saskatchewan Stock Growers Association. Mail your contribution to:

The Saskatchewan Stock Growers Association
Box 4752
Regina, SK S4P 3Y4