Program helps Habitat for Humanity

Habitat for Habitat has become a successful fundraising effort for the local Habitat For Humanity organization, one they hope to see grow in the years ahead.

Since its initiation the Habitat for Habitat program has seen 140 to 200 acres seeded annually.

"We'd like to actually triple that if possible," said program committee member Andrew Rae.

Rae said as a major fundraiser, the most consistent HFH has, the expansion of the cropping program would help achieve a major goal for the organization.

"We'd like to get to where Habitat for Humanity is self-sustaining," he said, adding the crop program "gives us a good sustainable revenue source. It's the biggest continuing fundraiser we've had in terms of returns."

In 2012, they will plant the same 140-acres they did in 2011, and are working to find a farmer partner to add an additional 200-acres.

Rae said the concept of the program really came about at a time when HFH was trying to find a way to raise awareness and money for their efforts.

"How do we engage the community and get them involved?" he said.

Rae said they soon recognized "the biggest driver of the economy is agriculture" and so they wanted a way to engage that particular sector. He said he, George Plews, and Alfred Labas were talking over coffee and came up with the idea of utilizing farmland as a way to raise funds.

The next step was to become involved with Ducks Unlimited "which was looking for ways to execute their mandate," said Rae, explaining they look to convert farmland to permanent grassland cover for ducks. That conversion is a process taking several years, years the land still produces a crop.

"We undertake some of the work for them (DU) and we can actually still grow a crop," said Rae.

To help improve the bottom line of production HFH works with agricultural supply dealers to arrange donations of seed, fertilizer and crop protection products "to reduce the cost-of-production" on the land.

To grow the program Rae said they will continue to work with DU, but are willing to look at other options, such as working with farmers directly.

"If a farmer wanted to donate 40-acres, we would be interested," he said, adding it could even be on a crop-share basis.

Rae said if a farmer is interested in donating land, or businesses interested in providing production products to offset input costs can contact him at 621-4062.