Manitoba Lieutenant Governor

Lieutenant Governor of Manitoba

The Honourable Anita R. Neville, P.C., O.M.

Manitoba Ag Days 2023

Remarks by

The Honourable Anita Neville, P.C., O.M.

Lieutenant Governor of Manitoba

 AG DAYS

Keystone Centre, Brandon, MB

Tuesday, January 17, 2023, 1:00 p.m.

(please check against delivery)

 

Farmers and ranchers, suppliers and supporters of our most essential industry, friends of AgDays – it’s a pleasure to join you as this learning event and community celebration returns to in-person life.

I am honoured to meet with you here on Treaty Two land in the beautiful Westman region, home of the Anishinaabe, Dakota and Red River Metis people. Here and throughout Manitoba, we are working to advance understanding, healing and reconciliation and build a better home for all.

As our province, along with the rest of the world, works to heal from the disruptions of the last few years, it’s appropriate that this year’s Ag Days theme is Farmer Health, Safety and Wellness.

Since the first men and women learned to plant seeds and domesticate animals thousands of years ago, society has depended on the work of those who tend crops and livestock.

As technological change, from the first steam threshers to tractors that communicate with satellites, has increased productivity in agriculture, we have all come to depend for our most basic of human needs on fewer and fewer people.

The disruptions of the last few years showed us that, even as everything else was turned upside down, we could count on farmers – there was always food.

But the hard work, long hours, dependence on weather and uncertainty over prices and expenses take a toll. So this year’s focus on health and wellness is fitting and timely.

It’s nice to see as well that, with all the science, technology and agricultural economics on your agenda, you’ve also left time for laughter. No doubt one of the things that help health and wellness is simply having the chance to mix and mingle with old and new friends at events like this.

As always, you’ll see a lot of amazing technology and fascinating equipment at this show.

But the most important tools in our most vital industry remain the innovative, problem-solving brains and the strong, resilient hearts of the men and women in Manitoba’s agriculture industry.

Enjoy AgDays and may 2023 bring you a bumper crop of pride and joy and deep satisfaction at an important job done well.

Thank you, Merci, Meegwich.