Today is the North American Seed Fair awards reception at the Lethbridge Ag Expo.

Co-Chair of the North American Seed Fair Committee, Shay Isleifson, says they received 220 seed samples for the Fair, which is up over 100 samples from last year.

"We put them (the samples) in these nice trays with an anonymous number on them, and the judges will come in and they look at the soundness, plumpness, cleanliness, uniformity, they just kind of judge it on what it looks like. From there we award aggregate points as well as championship points."

Isleifson says, the Seed Fair has been an annual event since 1897, and is one of the only ones left in North America.

"It started off as a marketing tool for farmers back in the day. Now that we have the internet and we sell things different, it's more nostalgic. It's still a way to showcase your seed and get your name out there. We have multiple generations. We have grandmas helping their grandkids do it, and it's just a way to keep kids involved in the seed production."

Leslie Bolstad is also on the Seed Fair Committee, and says the Seed Fair includes classes for Juniors ages 9 to 18.

"You look at the average age of farmers these days, it's getting older and older, and it's tough for young people to be in agriculture these days. This is a way to encourage young kids into farming, so if you can have them interact with the seeds, it's exciting."

At the awards reception this afternoon, Isleifson says, they will be presenting the Edwin Kiffiak Memorial Award to Henry Willms.

"One of our past members, and active member of our community, Ed Kiffiak passed away in an accident, so we decided to have the Ed Kiffiak Memorial Award. Each year the committee selects someone in the community that embodies community involvement, they're an active member in the seed community, in their church, or whatever, and we award them."

The award reception takes place at 2:00 pm today at Lethbridge Exposition Park.

The North American Seed Fair Display at the Lethbridge Ag Expo February 28 to March 2.

 

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