Source: Saskatchewan Agricultural Hall of Fame
The Saskatchewan Agricultural Hall of Fame (SAHF) today announced the five individuals and one couple who will be inducted into the Hall in 2020. The inductees being recognized for their contributions to Saskatchewan agriculture are: Adele Buettner, John Feige, Jack Hay, Eileen and William Lamont, the Honourable Gerry Ritz and Ted Serhienko. The Lamonts and John Feige are being honoured posthumously.
“Saskatchewan agriculture, and by extension the province as a whole, has benefitted from the contributions of these leaders,” SAHF board chairman Reed Andrew said. “We are stronger as an industry due to the dedication and hard work of the 2020 inductees and it is my honour to announce their upcoming inclusion in the Hall of Fame.”
The inductees’ portraits will formally be added to the Hall at a ceremony in Saskatoon on April 18, 2020. Some brief highlights of their contributions to agriculture include:
Adele Buettner has held many leadership roles during her career and is a dedicated volunteer and a sought after public speaker. She founded AgriBiz Communications Corp. in 1993, serving the management, marketing and communication needs of agriculture and food organizations and businesses. Under her guidance, the Foundation for Animal Care in Saskatchewan grew into the Farm Animal Council, then in 2014 Farm and Food Care Saskatchewan was established with a wider focus on crops and animal agriculture. Adele was executive director in each of these evolutions. She has provided leadership on many boards, including as past president of Agriculture in the Classroom and Saskatoon Prairieland Park, among other roles.
John Feige (d. 2004), born and raised in Shellbrook, helped promote beef genetics across the globe through his involvement with the Hereford Association and has a long list of community involvement. He received the Cattlemen of the Year Award in 1991 and the Saskatchewan Livestock Association Honor Roll in 1995. He received the Canadian Hereford Association Honor Roll, and was honored at the Prince Albert Exhibition and Saskatoon Fall Fair, both in 1998. He was then honored posthumously by Prince Albert 4-H in 2005. John loved life on the farm and was proud to be a part of the agricultural business in Saskatchewan.
Jack Hay has lived in the Bradwell area all of his life and is highly active in his community and in the agriculture business. He was a board member of Prairieland Park and was instrumental in developing the Seager Wheeler Pedigreed Seed Show which started in 1994. He served on the Saskatchewan Agricultural Hall of Fame board for 22 years and was a member of the Saskatchewan Maine Anjou Association for 25 years, including five as chair, and also served as chairman of the Agricore United Producer Advisory Group, the Western Development Museum, and the Saskatchewan Livestock Association.
Eileen and William Lamont (d. 2012 and 2013) – One of the Lamonts’ biggest achievements was developing the Speckle Park cattle breed, one of the few beef cattle breeds developed in Canada. The breed began when the Lamonts purchased a speckled heifer in 1959 and bred the heifer with a black angus bull. Three Speckle Park steers were shown at the Royal Winter Fair in Toronto in 1972. The breed has been growing in popularity ever since; the Speckle Park was recognized as a distinct breed in 2006. The Lamonts were posthumously awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award by the Saskatchewan Cattlemen Association in 2016. The couple farmed near Maidstone and were very active in their community. Bill was a talented horseman and cattleman and a leader in his community in teaching humane handling. Together, the Lamont’s started the first riding club in the area called The Hill and Gully Riders. They are the first to be inducted into the Hall together as a couple.
The Honourable Gerry Ritz was Member of Parliament for Battlefords-Lloydminster from 1997 until 2017 and was Canada’s Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food for eight years. He played a key role in several international trade initiatives during his tenure. He played a major role in updating legislation to improve grain transportation by rail, as well as privatizing the Canadian Wheat Board. He led the development of the first Growing Forward Initiative in 2008, where the federal government and the provinces/territories committed $1.3 billion dollars over five years to make sure the diverse needs of Canadian producers were met. He was presented the Beef Industry Innovation and Sustainability Award by the Canadian Cattlemen’s Association in 2017.
Ted Serhienko has a long history in the livestock industry locally, provincially, nationally and internationally. T Bar C Cattle Co. Ltd began as a purebred Hereford operation and grew as Ted saw a need for sales management and consulting services. His knowledge of all breeds of cattle also made him one of the most desired judges throughout Canada, including at Canadian Western Agribition (CWA) and the Toronto Royal, in addition to many 4H and Junior Shows across Saskatchewan. He volunteered for more than 30 years with CWA and also brought his leadership to the Prairieland Park agriculture programs as an active volunteer for many years, including serving on the Prairieland Park board of directors.
This will be the 49th induction ceremony that the SAHF has been formally recognizing individuals making significant and distinguished contributions to the welfare and improvement of Saskatchewan agriculture. The SAHF gallery is located on the upper floor of the Western Development Museum in Saskatoon. Help recognize these outstanding individuals by attending the April 18 induction ceremony and dinner. For more information, including on how to purchase tickets, visit www.sahf.ca.
