By Alice McFarlane

Six new members added to the Saskatchewan Agricultural Hall of Fame

Aug 11, 2022 | 2:58 PM

MELFORT, Sask. — Six outstanding individuals will be the inducted into the Saskatchewan Agricultural Hall of Fame (SAHOF) in November.

The 2022 inductees include Jim Bessel, Margaret Crowle (posthumous), Jack Dawes, Leslie Hill, Jeffrey Schoenau and Mark Silzer.

SAHOF president, Reed Andrew, said this class will mark 50 years of celebrating agricultural leaders and innovators.

“It is fitting we have such an outstanding group of inductees for the occasion,” Andrew said. “Congratulations to each of the recipients for their significant and distinguished contributions to Saskatchewan agriculture.”

Agronomist, Jim Bessel, played an instrumental role in the establishment of canola as a profitable crop for growers in Saskatchewan and Western Canada. He joined the Canola Council of Canada to do agronomy work with the Saskatchewan Canola Growers Association, he worked with researchers, equipment manufacturers, seed companies and growers to reduce challenges and provide a successful outcome for growers.

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Margaret Crowle participated in a broad range of activities throughout her lifetime which contributed to rural life, including in her work as an extension specialist and home economics entrepreneur, her development of services to support families with financial management, and in her work with the Consumers’ Association of Canada. Crowle passed away last year.

Agricultural broadcast journalist, Jack Dawes, is well known for his genuine interest in learning about the sector and his storytelling abilities. Dawes was also the general manager of the Prairie Oat Growers Association from 2003 to 2011. He played an important role in the establishment of the Saskatchewan Oat Development Commission and Manitoba Oat Growers Association.

Leslie Hill provided technical harvesting knowledge to Saskatchewan farmers, primarily as the project manager of Prairie Agricultural Machinery Institute’s combine testing and evaluation program. He worked on combine optimization and harvest loss reduction and had a hand in many of the improvements harvesting machinery manufacturers implemented in Western Canada.

University of Saskatchewan professor of soil fertility, Dr. Jeff Schoenau continues to have a distinguished career in providing Saskatchewan farmers with soil nutrient management solutions for profitable crop and livestock production, while maintaining or improving soil, water, and air quality.

Mark Silzer is a leader in the bison industry, spending thousands of volunteer hours dedicated to improving the industry, serving the needs of producers, and enhancing the bison profile at the local, provincial, national, and international levels. He served on the boards of both the Saskatchewan and Canadian Bison Associations, including as president and chair of the CBA from 2004 to 2016.

These individuals will be formally inducted to the Hall of Fame at a ceremony in Saskatoon on Nov. 12.

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alice.mcfarlane@pattisonmedia.com

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