A Broad Valley farm family is giving back to a cause close to their hearts after being named Manitoba’s winner in a national photo contest.
Samuel Wipf of Broad Valley Farms has been awarded the 2025 Lallemand Hometown Roots Contest, directing a $5,000 donation to the Children’s Hospital Foundation of Manitoba.
For Wipf, the decision was deeply personal. His son was born with a cleft lip and underwent three surgeries at the Children’s Hospital.
“He had three surgeries, and you can hardly notice it now,” Wipf said. “It feels good to support a project that helps children in need, and I’m thankful to Lallemand for running a contest that gives back to rural communities across Canada.”
Wipf, who farms nearly 12,000 acres of canola, wheat, barley, corn and soybeans with his family, submitted a photo of pea planting in the Arborg area. The entry was chosen as Manitoba’s winner in the annual contest, which celebrates the spirit of agriculture and rural community life across Canada and the United States.
Since its launch in 2021, the Hometown Roots contest has awarded $5,000 donations to 29 rural organizations. Each provincial winner selects a local charity or organization to receive the prize.
Anne Favre, strategic marketing director for Lallemand Plant Care in Canada and the U.S., said the contest reflects the company’s commitment to rural communities.
“The Hometown Roots contest celebrates people and programs that make rural life strong and vibrant, and we’re proud to have a winner who chose to support a foundation that truly makes a difference,” Favre said.
Three winners are named in Canada each year — one each in Alberta, Manitoba and Saskatchewan.
For Wipf, the recognition is a chance to highlight both the resilience of farm families and the importance of children’s health care.
