MOUNTAIN VIEW COUNTY - The county will be providing $4,000 in support of the Aggie Days agriculture promotion event in 2025, with the funds coming from the tax rate stabilization reserve.
As well, council will add Aggie Days support in subsequent years to the annual operating budget funded through general revenue.
The moves came by way of motion at the Jan. 15 council meeting, held in person and online.
The plan is to have Aggie Days 2025 held in Carstairs, as it was in 2024, council heard.
“Annually, Mountain View County has been proud to partner with local ag societies by providing funding, advertising and marketing assistance and other professional expertise to make the event successful,” chief administrative officer Jeff Holmes told council.
“This funding has varied over the years and has come from a variety of sources.”
Those sources include $16,000 from Cremona and District Recreation and Culture Board in 2022, $20,000 from CDRC in 2023, and $4,200 from rural community grant in 2024.
“The original intention with Aggie Days was for each ag society to take a turn ‘spearheading’ the event with the support of other ag societies. As such, it has historically made it difficult for administration to identify an appropriate funding source for the event.
“Therefore administration is recommending that if council is agreeable to ongoing predictable funding for the event, that it be included as a component of the annual operating budget deliberations.”
Reeve Angela Aalbers said, “I completely support this. I’m hoping that maybe more communities will participate in Aggie Days and it will continue to get bigger.”
Aggie Days helps to promote agriculture across the district, including for youth, she said.
