Upland Organics in Saskatchewan: Organic Grain and Cattle, How It Makes Money and How to Contact It
Profile updated November 2026
Upland Organics is a certified organic grain and cattle operation at Wood Mountain, Saskatchewan, run by Cody Straza and Allison Squires with their three sons. The farm was named Saskatchewan's Outstanding Young Farmers for 2022 and then one of Canada's two national Outstanding Young Farmers winners, announced in Saskatoon on November 25, 2022.
| Location | Wood Mountain, southern Saskatchewan |
|---|---|
| Sectors | Certified organic grain; cattle grazing cover crops |
| Scale | Acreage and herd size not published in the sources used |
| Why it is elite | 2022 Saskatchewan and national Outstanding Young Farmers winner |
| Operators | Cody Straza and Allison Squires, with their three sons |
| Recognition | Also recognized by provincial and national organic organizations, per award coverage |
| Official website | Farms.com announcement of Saskatchewan OYF winners (no official site found) |
History of Upland Organics
Cody Straza and Allison Squires farm at Wood Mountain in southern Saskatchewan. Coverage of the 2022 awards notes that they had been nominated once before and have been recognized by provincial and national organic organizations. The farm's story is about moving a grain operation into certified organic production and then integrating livestock.
In 2022 they won the Saskatchewan regional title of Canada's Outstanding Young Farmers program, which honours farmers under 40 who earn at least two-thirds of their income from farming. They then went on to share the national honour with Ferme Holdream of St-Honore-de-Shenley, Quebec, in an announcement made in Saskatoon.
What Upland Organics Grows and Raises
Upland Organics grows certified organic grain and has recently added cattle that graze cover crops. Pairing livestock with cover crops is a practical way to turn a soil-building tool into feed, and the manure returns nutrients without purchased fertilizer, which matters when synthetic inputs are not an option.
Organic grain on the dry southern prairie depends on rotation, mechanical weed control and moisture conservation. Adding cattle gives the operation a second enterprise, a way to use forage and cover crop acres that would otherwise produce no direct revenue, and a buffer when grain prices or yields fall.
How Upland Organics Makes Money
Certified organic grain
The farm sells certified organic grain, which typically earns a price premium over conventional grain in exchange for higher management and certification demands. Upland Organics has not published prices or revenue, and none are estimated here.
Cattle
Cattle are a newer addition. They graze cover crops, turning soil-building acres into a saleable product, and diversify the farm beyond grain markets.
Recognition and knowledge sharing
National award status brings speaking invitations, networking and credibility with buyers, lenders and peers. Many Outstanding Young Farmers finalists share their systems at events, which can lead to partnerships and consulting-style opportunities.
Farm Insight: What Other Operators Can Learn from Upland Organics
Lesson one: integrate livestock to make cover crops pay. Grazing moves cover crops from a cost to part of the revenue base, and livestock can also help with weed and residue management. Lesson two: organic certification works best with discipline in rotation, record keeping and marketing relationships, because buyers pay premiums for consistency.
Lesson three: be willing to apply more than once. The couple were nominated before winning, a reminder that recognition programs reward steady improvement as well as one good year. Farm families can also note how an award platform amplifies a message about soil health and young farmer opportunity.
Cattle that graze the cover crop are essentially paying rent in manure, which strikes us as a very fair lease. At farm.FM we write farm satire, farm humor, ranch humor and farm jokes, and an organic operation on the windy plateau of Wood Mountain makes a fine subject for gentle ribbing. We will only say that the soil is probably healthier than our punchlines.
If the name is new to you, farm.FM is the nation's first satirical farm site, with Tractor Tunes country music for farmers on the side. One of its regular writers keeps a whole archive of stories like that.
How to Contact Upland Organics
Website: https://farms.com/news/organic-growers-named-saskatchewan-outstanding-young-farmers-181612.aspx
No official website, phone or email for Upland Organics was found in the sources used, so none are listed. The award announcement is the best verified public page. Reach the farm through Canada's Outstanding Young Farmers program or Saskatchewan organic associations.
Upland Organics Sources and Agriculture Authority Links
- Farms.com: organic growers named Saskatchewan OYF - Provincial award announcement
- Western Producer: Outstanding in their Canadian fields - National winners announced in Saskatoon
- Prairie Post: organic producers receive national award - Regional coverage of the national honour
- Statistics Canada: Saskatchewan in the 2021 Census of Agriculture - Provincial farm statistics
- Government of Canada: Saskatchewan agriculture sector profile - Job Bank crop, cattle and employment figures
Upland Organics FAQ
Where is Upland Organics?
At Wood Mountain in southern Saskatchewan.
What does it produce?
Certified organic grain, with cattle that graze cover crops.
What award did it win?
Saskatchewan's Outstanding Young Farmers for 2022, then a national Outstanding Young Farmers title announced November 25, 2022.
Who runs it?
Cody Straza and Allison Squires, who farm with their three sons.
Upland Organics proves that organic grain and livestock can work together on the Saskatchewan prairie. For broader context on soils, markets and programs, see the Saskatchewan farms guide.