Wheatland County family wins BMO Farm Family Award
By Miriam Ostermann, Associate Editor
Photo Courtesy of the Calgary Stampede
The family recently won the BMO Farm Family Award that is awarded to only 20 southern Alberta farms each year at the Calgary Stampede. With fewer farms achieving such a milestone anniversary, Rasmussen understands the value of the recognition.
“It’s a great honour, and it’s mostly the tradition because I went to university I have a degree in agriculture, and I could have done something else but why would I do that? It can be very rewarding and other years it can be very infuriating,” he said.
“There’s a lot of other small farmers that just give up and nobody wants to go farming so they sell out to the neighbour, and so there’s less and less of us all the time. I think it’s quite important to recognize the fact that these people in agriculture are a very necessary part of the whole picture. Food doesn’t just happen, it has to be sown and reaped and harvested.”
The 2,835-acre grain and seed farm began operations in 1909 just a mile south of Standard.
Since then, the farm has been handed down from generation to generation until Brian – the fourth generation – and his wife Shelley took over. But they aren’t farming the land alone. One of their three sons is also living and working on the farm with his wife and two young children, helping to keep the tradition alive.
Since then, the farm has been handed down from generation to generation until Brian – the fourth generation – and his wife Shelley took over. But they aren’t farming the land alone. One of their three sons is also living and working on the farm with his wife and two young children, helping to keep the tradition alive.
Aware of the farm’s history, Perry Ellis nominated the farm for the BMO Farm Family Award two years ago. Then this year, he once again tossed their name in the hat. The Rasmussen family is joining over 20 other Wheatland County farmers who have been recognized with the award, including Randy and Wendy Kaiser of Kaiser Charolais Farms who won last year, and the Praeker family who took home the award the year before.
Aware of the farm’s history, Perry Ellis nominated the farm for the BMO Farm Family Award two years ago. Then this year, he once again tossed their name in the hat. The Rasmussen family is joining over 20 other Wheatland County farmers who have been recognized with the award, including Randy and Wendy Kaiser of Kaiser Charolais Farms who won last year, and the Praeker family who took home the award the year before.
“We’re so proud to be supporting a tradition that is more than two decades in the making, and one that honours those who best typify the value of the family farmer to our society,” said Susan Brown, senior vice president of Alberta and Northwest Territories Division, BMO Bank of Montreal.
“The BMO Farm Family Awards celebrate outstanding entrepreneurial dedication to the agriculture sector and rural way of life, and we are thankful for the winners’ leadership and support for the community.”
The BMO Farm Family Awards celebrated 22 years this year of the contributions the chosen farm families have made to the agriculture industry and their community. The event showcases those who demonstrate a commitment to traditional western values, take an innovative approach to growing their business, and maintain an exceptional standard of sustainability.
The winning families took part in a reception, awards ceremony and brunch. They also received a personalized gate sign and tickets to the afternoon Calgary Stampede rodeo. But at the end of the day, Brian Rasmussen is glad to be back on his farm.
“It’s a good place to raise kids, it’s an honourable job, and it deserves a lot of respect; it’s nice to be recognized that we’re not just out here stumbling around in the dark,” he said.” Sometimes you get some pretty trying years and some people say ‘well, why do you keep doing it?’ Well, it’s a good way of life.”