The Rural Voice, 2001-11, Page 52People
Evert Ridder wins Huron Federation Award
Evert Ridder (left) receives the Huron County Federation of Agriculture
Award for Outstanding Contribution to Agriculture from Charles Regele.
Evert Ridder was named winner
of the Huron County Federation of
Agriculture Award for Outstanding
Contribution to Agriculture at the
group's annual meeting in Seaforth,
October 11.
Ridder, who operates an orchard at
RR2, Clinton, was chair of the
federation's environment committee
and the instigator of the Huron
Environmental Coalition, explained
Charles Regele, Huron Federation
president in presenting the surprised
Ridder with the award. Working with
past president Pat Down, Ridder was
able to secure funding from Canadapt
for a study of groundwater in Huron.
He sits on the technical review
committee for the Huron County
Healthy Futures program.
Ridder stepped down as a regional
director to the Ontario Federation of
Agriculture at the meeting, saying
it's time for younger farmers to get
involved.
Ridder is also past president of the
Hensall District Co-operative, a past
zone director of United Co-
operatives of Ontario and a past
president of the Huron County Corn
Producers. As well he is active with
the Maitland Valley Conservation
Authority.
He and his wife Margie have six
children and 15 grandchildren.
Several members of his family
surprised him by showing up for the
award presentation after telling him
earlier they were too busy to buy
tickets from him for the dinner.0
Mornington Heritage Cheese wins Perth award
Winner of the Perth County
Federation of Agriculture's
Recognition Award is the
Mornington Heritage Cheese and
Dairy Co-operative Inc.
Accepting the award at the
Federation's annual meeting in
Milverton October 10 were the co-
op's founders Bob and Linda Reid of
R.R. 1, New Hamburg.
In presenting the award, Marina
Schmidt, first vice-president of the
Federation, called the new co-
operative, which processes the milk
from dairy goat farmers, an example
of vertical integration from the
producer up. "They say that the best
way to predict the future is to create
it," she said in congratulating the
Reids for developing a model for
farmer -owned processing facilities.
Bob Reid, the former Stratford
Beacon -Herald journalist, turned
goat farmer, came up with the co-
operative idea and sold it to a group
of people who had come together to
find a replacement for the Millbank
cheese factory. Growing frustrated
with the red tape involved in starting
a company using cows' milk, the
group switched to the less restricted
world of goats' milk.0
Linda and Bob Reid receive the Recognition Award from Marina Schmidt
(right) on behalf of the Mornington Heritage Cheese and Dairy Co-operative.