Rocky Mountain Equipment gives prairie ag societies a boost for another year with grant program

The Rocky Mountain Equipment (RME) Right by You Ag Society Grant program has returned for its fifth year, bestowing funding for agricultural societies across the prairies.

Agricultural societies are vital organizations that help enrich life in rural communities. Local volunteers run events, deliver educational programs and provide dedicated community spaces for residents to enjoy. RME is proud to support four more ag societies with $10,000 grants to advance approved community initiatives.

In Northern Alberta, the Tomahawk & District Sports Ag Society was looking to purchase a new zero-turn mower for their ag ground hall. They will be receiving a brand-new Ferris IS700-60C Zero Turn Mower. “In the heart of Tomahawk, our community hall has been lovingly maintained by volunteers for generations. Endless hours to keeping the grounds beautiful—a task that now spans over 10 acres filled with trees, fences, and memories. Mowing takes a full day, often stretching into two, depending on the weather. With our aging equipment, the job is growing harder,” said Melissa Strocher. “A second, zero-turn mower is going be a game-changer—saving time, easing the load, and letting our volunteers focus on what they do best: building community. With this grant, we can keep our hall—and our community—growing strong.”

The Taber Exhibition Association, which has a busy facility in Southern Alberta, will be upgrading their tractor to help maintain the grounds. “Thank you so much for selecting the Taber Exhibition Association as a recipient of the RME Right By You Ag Society grant. Our facility is busy year-round hosting events that bring together our community, and maintaining the grounds is a big part of making those events possible,” said Amanda Valgardson. “With the support of this grant, we’ll be able to upgrade our tractor, which is essential for keeping our operations running smoothly and efficiently. This investment will help us continue providing a safe, welcoming space for our community to gather and celebrate agriculture, culture, and connection.”

The Perdue Ag Society will also receive a brand-new Ferris IS700-60C Zero Turn Mower for their grounds, which serves Asquith and Perdue in Saskatchewan. “The Perdue Agriculture Society is thrilled to accept this donation support from RME. We have just shy of 11 acres to maintain—mostly grassy areas, so this new equipment will help immensely in terms of increasing efficiency as well as safety,” said Cary Lammers. “A zero turn will be much better for getting in and around our buildings and arenas than our current setup. This is indeed a significant upgrade—the school-aged groundskeeper that takes care of the grounds is going to be very excited! Thank You RME!”

In Manitoba, the Dauphin Ag Society is building an infield for chuckwagon and chariot races and will be using their grant towards the project. “The RME Right By You Grant has allowed us at the Dauphin Ag Society to invest in freestanding panels for our Chuck and Chariot infield,” said Terron Stykalo. “This allows us to put on not only a fantastic show, it also allows us to have a safe venue for fans and participants. RME has allowed us to invest in a stronger safer future for all!”

We congratulate all of the recipients of this year’s grant and look forward to seeing their projects come to fruition in the near future. We also thank the agricultural societies that submitted applications earlier this year. Does your local ag society have an upcoming project that could use a boost? Visit our website to check when 2026 RME Right by You Ag Society Grant applications open up in the spring and follow us on Twitter @RMEHQ for more updates.

Perdue Ag Society

Taber Exhibition Association