Ag Days Gives Backs 2026 Recipients

Manitoba Ag Days enters its second decade of investing in rural communities and agriculture education through the
Ag Days Gives Back program. 100% of the funds raised through the Manitoba Ag Days 50/50 are used to support K-12
ag education, post secondary ag education and community organizations throughout Manitoba and Saskatchewan.
This represents a commitment of $536,000 since the program’s inception in 2013.

Our seventeen 2026 Community Grant Recipients were awarded to community fire departments around Manitoba
and SE Saskatchewan. Each fire department was awarded $2000 toward the completion of their project. Cranberry
Portage Volunteer Fire Department, Winnipegosis Fire Department, Ashern Fire Department, Cartwright-Roblin Fire
Department, Elgin Fire Department, Clanwilliam Erickson Fire Rescue, Prairie Lakes Ninette Fire Department, Miniota
Fire Department, Oak River Fire Department, Belmont Volunteer Fire Department, Oak Lake-Sifton Fire Department,
Woodworth Fire Department, Fillmore Volunteer Fire Department, Asquith Fire Dept., Plumas Fire Department, Swan
Lake Fire Department and Somerset Fire Department.

This year we introduced a NEW way to give back, with a cost sharing program to get AEDs into fifteen more
community spaces. Treherne Kinsmen Club, Helping Hands Brandon, Ste. Rose School Playground Project, Turtle
Mountain Flywheel Club, Wheat City Lawn Bowling Club, Oakdale Senior Housing Inc., Lakeland Regional Library
Killarney, Brandon Regional Search & Rescue Association, Benito & Area Drop In Centre, Richer Community Club Inc.,
St. Paul’s United Church, Sandy Lake Recreation Association, Oakland Recreation Club, Sandy Lake Lions Club and the
Riverdale Early Learning Centre Inc. each received an AED as part of a cost share program!

The Ag Days Gives Back scholarships are available to individuals pursuing any post secondary education and training
related to agriculture. The recipients of the 2026 Ag Days Gives Back Scholarships of $2000 each were Evan Whetter,
Laine Vandersteen and Morgan Debenham.

Manitoba Ag Days also awarded the Education and Leadership Grant in the amount of $15,000 to Agriculture in the
Classroom – Manitoba. This funding supports the AgVenture programming that brings students to Manitoba Ag Days
for a hands-on learning experience.

Applications for the next round of Ag Days Gives Back grants and scholarships will open in the fall and be awarded at
the 2027 show, which runs from Tuesday, January 19 – Thursday, January 21, 2027. A huge thank you goes out to
everyone who supported the 50/50 at the 2026 show. The 2026 jackpot was $193,910 which means the winner Gary
Kenning took home $96,955. Kenning, who farms near Stonewall, told Office Manager Brittany Cousins that he plans
to use the winnings towards the purchase of a planter!

For more information or the latest updates please visit https://www.agdays.com/ or follow us on Facebook, X,
Instagram and TikTok @mbagdays.

For all media inquiries please contact:
Teresa Hildebrand – Media Coordinator at (204) 526-0574 media@agdays.com
OR
Kristen Phillips, Manitoba Ag Days General Manager at (204)728-4137 coordinator@agdays.com