Ag Days Gives Back has been supporting local agricultural efforts for over a decade, this year giving $55,000 through community grants and scholarships.
Manitoba Ag Days enters its second decade of investing in rural communities and agriculture education through the Ag Days Gives Back program. 100% of the funds raised through the Manitoba Ag Days 50/50 are used to support K-12 ag education, post-secondary ag education and community organizations throughout Manitoba and Saskatchewan.
“We started the program in 2013, and we’ve just passed the half million-dollar mark,” shares Ag Days General Manager Kristen Phillips. “So, this show is pretty monumental for us in that we’ve given back more than a half a million dollars. All the funds raised are through our 50/50 tickets sales.”
Throughout the past 11 years, Ag Days Gives Back has supported a host of community projects and organizations.
"We fund daycares and fire departments, community events, rinks and halls, ag fairs and anything that is near and dear to our exhibitors and patrons," adds Phillips. "We want to give back to the community in agriculture."
This year fifteen 2025 Community Grant Recipients included a wide variety of types of non-profit organizations with each recipient being awarded $2000 toward the completion of their project.
At past shows, these organizations formally received their cheques at a reception in the MNP Hall during Ag Days, however this year they are doing things differently.
"The show is such a busy time and so we'll be giving out the cheques starting this next week," explains Phillips. "This way it gives more leverage for the communities that are benefiting from it."
This year the scholarship criteria expanded to include any post-secondary education and training related to agriculture. "For those who don't know, one in eight jobs in Canada are connected to agriculture," she says, "and in Manitoba one in four jobs is connected to agriculture."
The recipients of the 2025 Ag Days Gives Back Scholarships of $2000 each were:
Manitoba Ag Days also awarded the Education and Leadership Grant in the amount of $15,000 to Agriculture in the Classroom – Manitoba.
Please see the detailed information below on the community grants of $2,000 each.
At this week's Ag Days at the Keystone Centre, 50/50 ticket sales reached a record $185,370 with half going to Ag Days Gives Back 2026. Visit the Ag Days Facebook page for this year's winning ticket number.
"We would just like to thank everyone who came to this year's show and thank everybody who buys a 50/50 ticket and sees the value in supporting and growing these rural communities," adds Phillips. "So, on behalf of our team we thank everyone!"
Applications for the next round of Ag Days Gives Back grants and scholarships will open in the fall and will be awarded at the 2026 show, which runs from Tuesday, January 20 - Thursday, January 22, 2026.
"A huge thank you goes out to everyone who supported the 50/50 at the 2025 show. We look forward to investing these funds in the communities where our exhibitors and patrons live and work through Ag Days Gives Back!"
For more information or the latest updates please visit https://www.agdays.com/ or follow us on Facebook, X, Instagram and TikTok @mbagdays.
