Ag community mourns loss of dairy farmer

Jul 10, 2018

Bettina Schuurmans passed away after a collision in Saskatchewan

By Diego Flammini
Staff Writer
Farms.com

Members of Canada’s farm community are sending supportive messages after a tragic accident claimed the life of an Elmira, Ont. dairy farmer.

Bettina Schuurmans, who was on a cross-country tour with her husband Henk promoting supply management, died after a tractor trailer collided with the couple’s John Deere 6430 tractor. The accident happened yesterday on Highway 16 between Saskatoon and Langham, Sask.

Paramedics transported Henk to a hospital with critical injuries but his condition has stabilized.

Canada’s farming community is saddened by Bettina’s passing.

“Henk and Bettina are not just fellow farmers, but friends, and the loss of Bettina and the injuries to Henk are very painful,” Joy Smith, policy and communications manager with SaskMilk, said in a statement yesterday.

“It’s such a tragedy because they were doing something that was so good and something they believed in,” Wendell Schumm, a family friend, told CTV News yesterday.

Henk and Bettina Schuurmans
Photo: Milky Wave Inc

Several other individuals and ag organizations have posted messages of support on social media.

“I don’t know the Schuurmans personally but was enjoying the (Canadian Milk Tour) as they made their stops,” Kevin Antonsen, a dairy farmer and past president of the British Columbia Holstein Branch, posted on Twitter today. “I pray that Henk recovers fully from his injuries and Bettina’s memory will be a blessing to all family and friends.”

The community is also supporting the family through a GoFundMe page.

Video: FLEECED! Sheep Shearer Hands Over Clippers!

It's sheep shearing day at Ewetopia Farms! ?? Our Dorset lambs and ewes are getting fleeced — and for the first time, our shearer hands over his clippers to a beginner. We finish shearing the last of our adult ewes and this year’s Dorset ewe lambs.

From moving the sheep between barns, loading them into chutes, and watching the wool come off, this is always one of the most satisfying days on the farm. But this video has a twist — we welcomed a new helper, Gian, who’s not only lending a hand but also learning how to shear! With guidance from our experienced shearer, he got a crash course in sheep shearing and even tried his hand at shearing a couple of lambs himself.

You’ll see firsthand how both teacher and student handled this unique challenge. Shearing is more than just removing wool — it’s about sheep health, comfort, and giving us a closer look at the flock. It’s always amazing to see the transformation from woolly sheep to freshly shorn ewes and lambs.