The heat in the un-air-conditioned room was intensified by the warmth of the crowd two weeks ago as hundreds honored the latest inductees to the Saskatchewan Agricultural Hall of Fame.
Former Western Producer editor Keith Dryden moved presentations along, expeditiously but graciously, as six groups of people unveiled portraits that will take their place among those of about 160 other hall of fame members.
The late Burton MacKay Craig was noted for his work in the development of canola.
James Gilfred Lewthwaite was a founding father of Canadian Western Agribition and instrumental within the Saskatchewan Hereford Association.
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Lillian Vigrass McConnell was the first Penny Powers, a spokesperson who helped farm women adjust to the arrival of rural electrification and natural gas.
The late Oscar Johan Mossing was a rat control activist who had a dream that one day Saskatchewan would be rat-free, and did what he could toward that end.
Canadian senator Herbert O. Sparrow is a longtime soil conservationist and author of Soil at Risk: Canada’s Eroding Future.
James Webster was honored for his work as a senior government administrator who never forgot his purpose of making the road a little smoother for Saskatchewan farmers.
As Dryden read the list of inductees’ accomplishments, one couldn’t help but be struck by the contributions each had made to their communities as well as the agricultural industry.
Talk of awards affords an opportunity to mention some recent accomplishments of Western Producer staffers.
The American Agricultural Editors Association announced the winners last week of its annual writing and photography competition.
Barbara Duckworth, WP Calgary reporter, won second place in the issues category for her report on the British experience with bovine spongiform encephalopathy, better known as mad cow disease. Duckworth travelled to Europe last November to get the information first-hand.
Michael Raine, Saskatoon based reporter and photographer, won photo of the year with a photo from a prairie auction sale. Raine also won best feature photo and collected two honorable mentions.
Karen Briere, Regina-based reporter, showed her photographic skills to good advantage by winning third place in the feature photo category.
