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Year of the Woman Farmer Showcase features AFSC Board Chair and Women in Ag winners

The International Year of the Woman Farmer Showcase at the Calgary Stampede highlights women who are making a difference in Alberta's farming communities. 

Alongside more than 30 Alberta women in agriculture, AFSC Board Chair Kelly Smith-Fraser and 17 AFSC Women in Ag Award winners were featured in this year’s showcase at the Nutrien Western Event Centre on the Stampede grounds. 

For Smith-Fraser, agriculture has always been who she is. Raised on a family farm and surrounded by a close-knit farming community, she learned the values that continue to shape Alberta agriculture: hard work, resilience, collaboration, and a deep commitment to others. After completing university and gaining experience off the farm, she returned home to work alongside her parents, strengthening her connection to both her family and the industry while taking on leadership roles that allowed her to give back to agriculture. 

Throughout her career, Smith-Fraser has balanced family, farming, and industry involvement, including serving on the AFSC Board of Directors. Her practical farming experience and leadership have made her a respected voice in agriculture. Her commitment to agriculture extends to the future, with a strong focus on supporting the next generation and fostering diverse perspectives that will help drive innovation and opportunity across the sector. 

Her inclusion in the 2026 International Year of the Woman Farmer Showcase acknowledges her contributions to agriculture, leadership, and community. Smith-Fraser was joined in the showcase by 17 AFSC Women in Ag award recipients. Their inclusion reflects the important contributions women across Alberta are making as leaders, innovators, advocates, and producers within the agricultural industry. 

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Turning Better Feed Into Better Herds: Innovation in Forage Harvesting

Video: Turning Better Feed Into Better Herds: Innovation in Forage Harvesting


What happens when a dairy farmer gets frustrated with equipment that isn’t doing its job? In this episode, we sit down with Horning Manufacturing founder Leon Horning to hear how a problem in the feed bunk led to a globally recognized forage equipment company.

Born out of a third-generation dairy operation in Pennsylvania, Horning Manufacturing started with one goal: helping cows get more nutrition from silage. Leon shares how his father, Leon Sr., built the first kernel processor rolls in the family farm shop after seeing whole corn kernels pass through cows undigested — costing valuable feed efficiency and milk production.

We explore the company’s journey from a side project on the farm to an international manufacturer serving dairy farmers, beef operators, and custom harvesters around the world. Along the way, Leon discusses the evolution of pull-type forage harvesters, the engineering behind Horning’s “plug-and-play” kernel processor kits, and why reducing downtime during harvest can make or break a season.

The conversation also dives into Horning’s row-independent corn heads, practical equipment design, real-world customer stories, and how innovations born in the field continue to shape the company today.

Whether you’re a producer, equipment enthusiast, or simply love stories of grassroots innovation, this episode offers a fascinating look at how one farm family turned necessity into industry-changing technology.

Contact Horning Manufacturing today at 717-354-5040
https://www.horningmfg.com/