A decision to become partners with other organizations and a sizable government grant have saved the Women of Unifarm from folding.
“Without the money it would be very different,” said president Florence Trautman after the group’s annual meeting last week in Edmonton.
The Women of Unifarm received a $61,000, one-year Agriculture Initiative grant from the Alberta government to help continue its work in the province.
“It looks very promising,” said Trautman of the group’s future.
Two years ago the women voted to split from the Wild Rose Agricultural Producers organization, formerly Unifarm.
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Before the grant and the recent decision to work with other groups, the future looked dim for the women whose only way to raise money was through a $31 membership and sales from their history and cook books.
“We’re partnering up with a lot of people. I think things will look good,” said Trautman.
With the grant money they will work with other groups to promote agriculture. They have given $8,000 to the Multicultural Heritage Centre in Stony Plain to develop a farm safety kit aimed at Grade 3 students. The field trip in a suitcase will travel to as many schools as possible promoting farm safety and teaching children where food comes from.
Conference costs
They have also decided to give money to the farm women’s conferences held annually across the province. The money will be used to help offset the cost of bringing in reputable speakers.
“It will be rated on the number of people who come to the conference.”
They are also considering restarting some kind of farm stress line.
In return for the money, the group wants the women who attend these conferences or use the stress line to fill out a questionnaire. From that survey they want to get a clearer picture of the needs of women in the farm community.
During the conference, the Women of Unifarm made the commitment to work with other farm groups, said Trautman.
“We need to partner with different groups. We can’t do it alone any more. If the cause is the same, why not join up with them?”
About 30 of the 350 members attended the annual meeting.
