Three area farmers nominated for top honour

Three farmers from the area are among this year’s group of candidates nominated for the top honour of Female Farmer of The Year for the Montérégie West region. It was during the annual meeting of the Agricultrices de la Montérégie Ouest on August 28 that the seven candidates to be honoured during this year’s annual tribute to the region’s female farmers, the Hommage aux Agricultrices Gala, were announced. Among the nominees are Mylaine Massicotte from Havelock, Caroline Machabée from Saint-Stanislas-de-Kostka, Josiane Carrière from Saint-Anicet, Yolande Baril from Chateauguay, Hélène Sabourin from Pointe-Fortune, Émilie Leroux from St-Clet and Diane Leclair from Sherrington. All seven farmers will be on hand in October at the Plaza Hotel in Valleyfield for the annual Gala where the Farmer of the Year will be announced. For fans of the Huntingdon County Farmers’ Market, both Caroline Machabée of Les Jardins de Caroline and Mylaine Massicotte of Les Jardins d’en Haut are familiar faces as both have long been present at the summer markets as well as the Christmas and winter markets throughout the Valley. Josiane Carrière is the owner of the Ferme Urdani, a family-run dairy farm in Saint-Anciet. She is also very active as the secretary for the Haut-Saint-Laurent syndicate of the UPA. In 2016, 28.7% of farm operators across the country were women, which is a considerable increase from 2011 figures as more and more women emerge as much more than partners on farms. While celebrating its 30th anniversary this year, the Agricultrices de Quebec (formerly the Federation des Agricultrices de Quebec) remains as relevant today in supporting and empowering women farmers across the province. The Hommage aux Agricultrices Gala will take place on Saturday, October 6th, in Salaberry-de-Valleyfield.