Carol Baldwin
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
Wakaw Recorder
Sandra Hessdorfer, Agricultural Education Officer at Horizon School Division, Past Chair of Women in Ag Sask, an alumnus of the Next Gen Agriculture Mentorship Program and the Learn to Lead program with SaskOilseeds, and during the pandemic began a YouTube channel, On The Farm with Mrs. H, to teach young people about life on the farm, was recognized for championing agriculture in all she does.
During a luncheon on October 7, for Agriculture Week in Saskatchewan, held from October 5 to 11, Farm & Food Care Saskatchewan announced that the winner of the 2025 Champion Award is Sandra Hessdorfer.
“I don’t know if I really deserve it, but it is so nice to be recognized for the work you do in your day-to-day life,” Hessdorfer told CJWW Agriculture Director Neil Billinger, in an interview after receiving the award.
Sandra is originally from British Columbia, where her family raised livestock and maintained an orchard. Growing up, she was involved with 4-H, but since her own children became involved with 4-H, her involvement has increased. She later moved to Alberta before settling in Saskatchewan in 2006. In Saskatchewan, she purchased her own acreage and began working with Big Sky Farms. It was through the local Co-op Agro that she met her husband, Chris. Today, they farm together near St. Benedict, Saskatchewan, where they raise crops and cattle alongside their two sons, Corbin and Riley.
In her role as Agricultural Education Officer, Sandra brings agriculture into the classrooms, supporting school programs across Horizon School Division through presentations, providing resources, and organizing the annual Student Ag Day for Grade 10 students. This past spring, Student Ag Day attracted 570 students and their teachers from across the Horizon School Division. Sandra is proud of the role she has played in the creation of the division-wide Student Ag Days. Horizon School Division recognizes the foundational role that agriculture plays, not only in the economy but in shaping the character of communities, and Sandra credits the support of Director of Education, Kevin Garinger and the Board with the strides that have been made in advancing agriculture in the Division.
“Sandra brings the world of farming and food to life for our students,” said Justin Arendt, Superintendent of Operational Services with Horizon School Division. “She shares her passion for agriculture with energy, humour and warmth, helping young people understand where their food comes from and why it matters.”
Nominated by Saskatchewan Women in Agriculture, Chair Anna Karlsson said, “Sandra’s passion for agriculture is evident in everything she does. One of her biggest strengths is her ability to connect people from different backgrounds and have them work together to promote the ag industry.”
Each year, Farm & Food Care Saskatchewan, in collaboration with a selection panel, recognizes an individual who actively engages consumers about agriculture and helps farmers build public trust both in our province and beyond. The Farm & Food Care Saskatchewan Champion Award is presented to someone who has taken the initiative to educate consumers about food and farming in our province. Nominees demonstrate their ability to inform consumers about production practices and have made a significant impact in promoting the agriculture industry.
Clinton Monchuk, Farm and Food Care Saskatchewan Executive Director, explains, “The Champion Award is really celebrating an individual who has really gone above and beyond in terms of what they’re doing to try and engage or educate the consumers about what farmers and ranchers are doing. …what we’re looking for is how they’ve used their skills to better inform consumers about what we do in the agriculture world and really done a measurable job of that. We’ve had some great award recipients in the past, from farmers to researchers to people who have spent their entire life talking to the public about farming, and we want to celebrate that.”
Sandra is a 4-H leader, a former 4-H Saskatchewan employee, and serves on the Education Committee for Canadian Western Agribition. She is also passionate about supporting and empowering women in agriculture.
Sandra sees her role as providing students the opportunity to see what agriculture looks like, what job opportunities there are, where their food comes from, and dispelling myths. “There are a lot of misconceptions out there [about food] and it scares a lot of people. I’m a mom, and I’m not going to feed my kids something that I don’t trust, so I’m just hoping to open up some of those conversations.”
Today, less than two percent of Canadians have a direct connection to the farm, which is one reason why so many have questions about how their food is produced. Before Confederation, 150+ years ago, 80 percent of Canada’s population lived in a rural setting, but today that has flipped, with only about 20 percent living in rural settings.
