Women contributing to agriculture recognized

Wednesday, March 28, 2012

by BETTER FARMING STAFF

Farm Credit Canada formally announced regional winners of its FCC Rosemary Davis award today, but Ontario winner Judy Shaw says she had more than an inkling two weeks ago, when she ran into Lyndon Carlson, Farm Credit Canada’s senior vice-president of marketing, while waiting for a plane.

“I guess he had just found out from someone in the office,” says Shaw, Syngenta Canada Inc.’s head of corporate and government affairs. Carlson told her she had won for Ontario, congratulated her and “gave me a big hug.” He had to catch a plane, “so he gave me another big hug,” prompting congratulations from the person who had been sitting next to her as well as the observation “it must have been a good one because it was a two-hug award.”
 

Shaw is among five women from across Canada recognized this year by FCC for their leadership and commitment to Canada’s agriculture and agri-food sector.

The others are: Betty Lou Scott, a cattle producer from Nova Scotia; Bonnie Spragg, a hog producer from Alberta; Katherine Elaine Buckley, a research scientist from Manitoba; and Martine Bourgeois, an agrologist and egg producer from Quebec.

“Each of our winners is a great role model in the agriculture industry,” states Kellie Garrett, FCC senior vice-president, strategy, knowledge and reputation, in a news release issued today.

photo: Judy Shaw

Shaw says she doesn’t know who nominated her but is honoured. “FCC is fabulous for giving out such an award; I think it’s something very special.” She notes that women are very involved in all aspects of agriculture but sometimes “I think they need to be given a bit of a boost for recognition so that we can encourage more to be involved.”

The FCC is sending Shaw and the other 2012 award recipients to a women’s leadership conference in Boston. All five also receive a glass statuette.

Thirty women have been recognized since the FCC inaugurated the award in 2005. The award is named after the agriculture lender’s first female board chair. BF