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Alberta producer awarded W.R. Motherwell award

April 21, 2008

Ancaster, ON – Gordon Bussey, an agricultural leader and ambassador for Alberta agriculture, was recently honoured with the 2007 W. R. Motherwell Award, the highest award from Canada’s Outstanding Young Farmers’ (OYF) program.

The award recognizes outstanding service to an individual or couple dedicated to Canada’s OYF program – making Bussey a natural choice for the honor. “Gordon has truly shaped the agricultural landscape in Alberta through his dedication, leadership and forward thinking with OYF and other agricultural organizations,” says Richard Stamp, president of Canada’s OYF program. “You don’t have to look very far to find his signature contributions among many of the significant milestones in Alberta agriculture.”

Gordon’s involvement with OYF began in 1982 when he and his wife Joanne were national winners of Canada’s OYF program. He went on to help found the OYF Alumni Association in 1985 and the creation of the OYF Board of Directors. These two entities, thanks in large part to Gordon’s drive and determination, are responsible for the long-standing record of the OYF program in Canada. Gordon also helped ensure a vital link between the Calgary Stampede and OYF through his long-standing involvement with this cornerstone Calgary event. He began as a volunteer in 1985, became a shareholder in 1992, served as chair from 1996 to 2000, and joined the board of directors in 2000 – a position he still holds.

On the farm front, Gordon owns and operates Bussey Seed Farms Ltd., east of Airdrie, AB. The company produces, processes and retails pedigreed seed and forages, and operates a feedlot for finishing cattle. Gordon and Joanne have two grown children.

His past and current volunteer activities have shaped, and continue to, the face of agriculture in Alberta. As chairman of a provincial soil conservation advisory committee to the minister of agriculture, Gordon was involved in initiating conversation programs used in Alberta on farms and ranches. He’s a long time member and volunteer of the local agricultural society and involved in the local PC association. On a community level, Gordon was the founding president of the Rural Crime Watch Association that began as a pilot project in Airdrie in 1979, and is an active supporter of 4-H both locally and nationally.

Dr. Motherwell – the namesake of the W.R. Motherwell Award was born near Perth, Ontario in 1860. His leadership in Canadian agriculture spanned more than 50 years and he is regarded by many as the “grand old man of Canadian agriculture.” His career highlights include minister of agriculture in Saskatchewan’s first provincial government, and minister of agriculture for Canada in the 1920s. Having attending agricultural college in Guelph, Ontario, his move to Saskatchewan resulted in his instrumental role in establishing the agriculture facility at the University of Saskatchewan. Dr. Motherwell died in 1943 at the age of 83.

Celebrating its 29^th year, Canada’s Outstanding Young Farmers’ program is an annual competition to recognize farmers that exemplify excellence in their profession and promote the tremendous contribution of agriculture. Open to participants 18 to 39 years of age, making the majority of income from on-farm sources, participants are selected from seven regions across Canada, with two national winners chosen each year.