If you've got a great picture of our next generation loving the farm life, you might want to take in the Co-op Future Farmers Contest.
The Co-ops of Westman have partnered with the Provincial Exhibition of Manitoba to launch their new photo contest that celebrates our young ag enthusiasts and their connection to farm life.
Westman area Co-ops participating in this contest are Heritage, Valleyview, Boundary, Pembina and Twin Valley, to make up the Co-ops of Westman.
"We are a group of local Co-ops who have a lot of our values that align," says Co-op spokesperson Amber Vandale Torrance. "Of course, we're all huge supporters of agriculture and agricultural sustainable practices locally. So, this is why we thought it would be a great opportunity to work together. And we also can't wait to see all the pictures of all those cute kids too!"
The contest is open to all families across the region and offers a unique opportunity to showcase the future of farming while competing for a prize pack, and a $500 gift card from Co-op.
Torrance says children don't necessarily have to be currently living on a farm. "If you've got a child who has a passion for becoming, say a cattle farmer one day, there's nothing wrong with taking a photo somewhere that represents what they'd like to do later on in life. Not all of us start out on a farm, but that doesn't mean you can't have a passion for agriculture!"
"The more the merrier," she adds. "We just can't wait to see what these kids come up with!"
Prizes:
One qualifier from each trading area of each of the participating Co-ops will receive a Co-op prize pack that includes a Co-op Future Farmer hat, tickets to the Royal Manitoba Winter Fair, and a $25 Co-op gift card.
Through a community vote at the Royal Manitoba Winter Fair, one winner will receive a $500 gift card from the Co-ops of Westman.
How to Enter:
Participants or guardians can submit a photo of their child (ages 0-17) in one of these categories:
- Farm Life in Action: A picture of the child engaged in activities on the farm
- Through Their Lens: A photo taken by the child that captures the essence of life on the farm
Along with the photo, the child or young person needs to answer the question: 'What kind of farmer do you want to be, and why?'
Entries will be accepted until March 7, 2025. Submit your photos via www.coopsofwestman.ca
"Any season you want. Anyone who lives on a farm, or has visited a farm, knows it doesn't matter what it looks like outside the farm keep running," says Torrance. "The only thing we need to be mindful of is to ask permission of parents and guardians if the child is not your own."
Please listen to more with Amber Vandale Torrance below!