New members named to olds college board of governors
James Courtney and Jackie Swainson have joined the Olds College board of governors as public members to serve three-year terms.
Courtney brings more than 20 years of business experience as the owner and chief executive officer of a rural manufacturing enterprise. He was a past board member with Alberta Apprenticeship and Industry Training, as well as with Careers, the Next Generation.
Swainson has served on the Alberta School Boards Association and has a close connection with Olds College, as a member of the governance team for the Community Learning Campus initiative.
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Swainson served as an elected trustee with Chinook’s Edge School Division for the past 12 years.
Ag for Life Unveils program
Ag for Life recently announced its first $1.2 million and three-year investment into Alberta agriculture youth education programs during a Nov. 3 Harvest Gala fundraiser.
Agriculture for Life collaborates with industry and stakeholder groups to deliver educational programming designed to improve rural and farm safety, while building understanding and appreciation of the impact agriculture on peoples’ lives.
Several founding members and sponsors contributed to the 2012 Harvest Gala.
For more information, visit agricultureforlife.ca.
New Opportunities for Canadian Vintners
Canadian vintners’ market opportunities have been boosted with an investment of $160,000 from the federal government.
The money will support the Canadian Vintners Association to increase the awareness of the value, quality, and diversity of Canadian wines.
Canadian exports of wine exceeded $36 million, with more than 21.6 million litres of wine going to international markets in 2011. Last year the U.S. imported 20.2 million litres.
ATB joins with Lakeland
With a five-year commitment totalling $55,000, ATB Financial has been selected the title sponsor of Lakeland College’s Professional Bullriding event held annually at the Vermilion campus.
The money will help attract top quality riders and top up existing funds for major improvements to the college’s indoor riding arena.
The first event with ATB Financial as the title sponsor is slated for Feb. 15 during the college’s centenary year.
Lakeland College has hosted the PBR for the last eight years.
Each year it attracts more than 1,400 bull riding fans to the college’s Vermilion campus. It also draws some of the best bull riders and stock on the PBR Canadian, world and touring pro circuits.
With its new five-year commitment, ATB Financial will donate $15,000 during the college’s centennial year in 2013, and $10,000 for the remaining four years.
CAMA awardS
For the second straight year, Winnipeg-based advertising agency Think Shift claimed the top spot in the social media category at this year’s Best of CAMA awards. The annual event, held by the Canadian Agri-Marketing Association, celebrates excellence in marketing and communications in the agriculture industry.
The winning entry was a Facebook promotion introducing Bee Maid Honey’s “Lil Honeys” product.
The campaign included a free giveaway of the new individual honey packets and within six hours of its launch, more than 2,500 samples were claimed.
During the promotion, Bee Maid’s Facebook page saw a 200 percent increase in its fan base.
Think Shift also won first place in the internal communications category for its work with the Canola Council of Canada and in the logo/wordmark category for the Canadian Agriculture Literacy Week logo created for Agriculture in the Classroom.
Sheep chair enters third term
At the recent annual meeting of the Canadian Sheep Federation board, Andrew Gordanier was acclaimed as chair for a third term.
Gordanier of Shelburne, Ont., raises sheep on his family’s farm for the production of lamb and dairy sheep products.
Breeds include Rideau Arcott and Ile de France. It also includes East Friesen crosses that are seasonally milked.
Joining Gordanier on the executive is re-acclaimed vice-chair Phil Kolodychuk, a sheep producer from Bluesky, Alta. Other executive committee members include Barbara Johnstone Grimmer from Pender Island, B.C., Dennis Fischer of Elmwood, Ont., and Rob Scott of Brantford, Ont.
