The 39th induction ceremony of the Manitoba Agriculture Hall of Fame took place yesterday in Portage la Prairie.

Gordon McPhee

Gordon McPhee receiving honourGordon McPhee shares how it feels to be one of the inductees.

"Well I feel very humbled to be along with many other people who have made significance difference to agriculture in Manitoba, I feel very humbled."

He recounts the reasons he was nominated, including his pioneeer work in Manitoba with zero-tillage.

"Zero till, crop protection advisory committee, environment issues."

Weldon Newton

Weldon Newton receiving his honourWeldon Newton was another, and says he was honoured, and was a Keystone Agriculture board member, president, and leader during the BSE crisis.

"It's a great honour. It's a combination of recognition for basically I guess the 40 years I spent in farm organization. Obviously some people think that at some point I did some good. I guess I spent all the time in three organizations. And in each one of those I was fortunate enough at the end to become the president or chairman of those organizations."

Selma Maendel represented by sister Dora Maendel

Dora Maendel on behalf of he late Selma MaendelThe late Selma Maendel was the first Hutterite inducted into the hall of fame, and she was represented by her sister Dora, who explains Selma's contributions. She notes it was especially an honour for the family seeing as Selma was a female inductee as well.

"The agricultural connect was in connection with computers. She set up an ITV system that has to do with computers. And she did a lot of her work in computers. Another thing that she did was something my mother was involved with also. And that is, you probably saw the gentlemen there, and they're wearing homemade pants. So, she took those patterns and she put them onto computer. Which meant she could streamline them to individual people."

Kathleen Patchell on behalf of her father John Parker

Kathleen Patchell receiving her father's, John Parker, honourThe late John Parker was the fourth person inducted, and was represented by his daughter Kathleen Patchell.

"I was representing my father. He was inducted posthumously. We're very honoured. We're just sorry he wasn't here to accept it himself. He served the farmers of Manitoba for 40 years in the department of Agriculture. He was in charge of soils and crops. So, he did a lot of work in soil conservation, and planting trees -- making sure there were windbreaks to stop soil erosion."