Public voting is closed and will open November 1 – 15, 2023.

Win up to $28,000 to Bring Your Community Project to Life!



People joining together to build strong, vibrant communities is a hallmark of the agriculture industry. Raise the Barn builds on that rich history and brings together independent ag retails and community groups to make a lasting difference where we live and work.

Local Areas of Impact

  • Mental Health

  • Hunger

  • Education

  • Community Spirit

Eligible independent ag retailers are invited to enter a local project that impacts a need in the area of Mental Health, Hunger, Education, or Community Spirit. We recommend partnering with a local charitable organization to help plan and amplify your message.

Entry submission is now closed.

Retail Submissions and Winner Selection

Raise The Barn takes place in two components:

1

Retail Submissions & Regional Winner Selection

Eligible retails can enter to win $8,000 determined by an internal panel of judges. One entry per retail location is permitted. There will be four regional winners in total (one each for AB, SK, MB, and ON). Deadline for submission is September 22, 2023.

Regional winners will be contacted on or around October 18, 2023.

READ JUDGING CRITERIA FAQS
2

Public Grand Prize Winner Selection

Regional winners will be automatically entered to win an additional grand prize of $20,000 via public voting. Voting will begin on November 1, 2023, and be open until November 15, 2023.

The grand prize winner will be announced the week of November 20, 2023.

READ VOTING FAQS

Meet our 2022 Raise the Barn Grand Prize Winner!

shuttle_photo

Shuttle Care Service

Hawk’s Agro (Gravelbourg, SK)

The Gravelbourg Cares Shuttle Service is a non-profit service that provides transportation for all ages to medical appointments in city centres. GCSS provides service to Gravelbourg and surrounding communities such as Assiniboia, Lafleche, Mossbank, Kincaid, Hazenmore, and Ponteix.

READ MORE

Shuttle
Care
Service

Hawk’s Agro
(Gravelbourg, SK)

The Gravelbourg Cares Shuttle Service was created by community members after the STC bus route was cancelled, leaving many people without transportation to out-of-town physicians, specialists, or other medical-related appointments. GCSS provides support to Gravelbourg and the surrounding communities (including Assiniboia, Lafleche, Mossbank, Kincaid, Hazenmore and Ponteix). Community members of all ages use this volunteer service, including working parents, youth, the elderly and anyone who does not have the means to transport themselves.

This project has been operating for 4 years and is run and funded solely through volunteer work and donations. These funds would be used not only to cover fuel and maintenance costs to run the service but to help ensure the longevity of the program to operate for our group of communities.

GCSS hopes to continue to grow and even inspire other communities to come together and develop their own transportation programs.

2022 Regional Winners

Community Garden and Greenhouse Project

AgroPlus Holdings (Foremost, AB)

The Foremost School is planning to build a greenhouse and expand its community garden project to increase its ability to meet needs related to mental health, hunger, education and community spirit. This project has brought together community members of all ages and backgrounds and has provided a platform for education and a way to connect with the outdoors to improve mental health.

Community Garden
and Greenhouse
Project

AgroPlus Holdings
(Foremost, AB)

The Foremost local rural school started a community garden project in the spring of 2021. The initial goal was to create an outdoor learning space that promoted knowledge of different forms of food production, teamwork, responsibility, and a chance to support the community with locally raised goods. Students from all grades and classes are involved in various aspects of the garden. Throughout the last two years, the project has grown, bringing together community members of all ages and backgrounds; expanding our capacity will allow us to meet more needs both mental and physical. The current garden supports numerous families within the community and an expansion will only increase the support.

The plans are to expand the garden to include berry patches, fruit trees, and a larger quantity of the currently produced vegetables. We would like to purchase a greenhouse that would allow the students to produce vegetables for an extended period.

Whether it is the families directly involved in producing, the seniors enjoying the aesthetics of the students learning to garden, or the people who would receive or purchase products, the garden will hopefully have something for everyone in the community.

Classroom and Meeting Space for Indigenous Teachings

SJ Agronomy Services (Miami, MB)

The Miami Parent Advisory Council plans to build an outdoor classroom and meeting space that honours indigenous teachings and the pillars of reconciliation. This space will provide a place for learning, physical exercise and performing. This meeting space will also provide students and community members with indigenous heritage a safe place to learn about and practice their own culture and educate others.

Classroom and
Meeting Space for
Indigenous Teachings

SJ Agronomy Services
(Miami, MB)

The Miami Parent Advisory Council plans to build an outdoor classroom and meeting space that honours indigenous teachings and the tenants of reconciliation. With partnership and consultation with local indigenous elders, the meeting space will include a fire pit and tipi. It will provide a safe place to learn about and practice the tenants of historical culture, a key component of reconciliation and improving mental health for students and community members with indigenous heritage. It will also facilitate a space for storytelling and historical learning.

The classroom portion will provide a space for education, physical exercise and performing. Students who spend more time outside, whether in play or in learning, have been shown to have better overall mental health, physical well-being, and test scores. An outdoor classroom adjacent to the natural forest zone and walkways already present at Miami School would help increase the outdoor learning time for students.

Rules & Regulations

Click below to read the full contest rules and regulations, including eligibility and information about nominating and voting for your favourite charities.

READ THE DETAILS

2023 Raise the Barn by WinField United FAQ

1. Who is eligible to enter the contest?

To enter in Western Canada, you must be a WinField United Canada retail owner in Alberta, Saskatchewan, or Manitoba. To enter in Eastern Canada, you must be an Ontario independent agriculture retailer who is a WinField United Canada retail owner or non-owner. Each independent agriculture retail branch location can make one entry.

2. What type of projects are eligible?

Put your creativity and ingenuity to the test. Come up with an impactful idea to address a local need in the areas of Mental Health, Hunger, Education or Community. We recommend partnering with a local charitable organization to help plan and amplify your message. Please note that projects must be initiated within one year of making the contest entry. Projects that are not eligible to win include lobbying, political, religious, or fraternal activities, labour organizations, and as well as any organization that advocates, supports, or participates in activities inconsistent with the Sponsor’s policies which prohibit discrimination based on protected status including race, colour, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, age or status as a protected veteran.

3. What are the prizes available to be won?

Four regional winners will win $8,000 for their project. There will be one regional winner for Alberta, one regional winner for Saskatchewan, one regional winner for Manitoba, and one regional winner for Ontario. Of the four regional winners, one will have the opportunity to win the grand prize, an additional $20,000 for their project.

4. How do you enter?

One representative from an independent agriculture retail branch location can submit an official entry form. Entries must be submitted between 12:00 pm CST on July 18, 2023, and 11:59 pm CST on September 22, 2023.

5. Who can submit an entry?

A representative of the independent agriculture retail branch location can submit an entry. Please discuss the entry with key stakeholders at your retail branch location and consider working with a charitable organization to help plan and amplify your message

6. How will the winners be chosen?

Round 1 Judging Phase: Between the dates of September 25, 2023 and October 13, 2023, all eligible entries will be judged on a 1-5 scale by qualified judges of the Sponsor who will determine the highest scores for the four winners in the applicable geographic regions (one in Alberta, one in Saskatchewan, one in Manitoba, and one in Ontario) based on the following criteria:
1) Does the proposed project support Mental Health, Hunger, Education, or Community initiatives started within a year from contest entry? (20%)
2) Does the entry have a clear plan for effectively utilizing the Prize dollars? (40%)
3) Does the entry clearly depict how the prize money would positively impact the community with the proposed project? (30%)
4) Does the independent agriculture retailer highlight how they are supporting the project? (10%)
Judging Scale: 1-5:
1: Poor. Unacceptable. 2: Weak. Less than Acceptable. 3: Good. Acceptable. 4: Very Good. Above Average. 5: Excellent. Exceptional.

Round 2 Voting Phase: Between the dates of November 1 and November 15, 2023, the four regional winning entries will be posted in an online gallery for public voting at raisethebarn.ca. Legal residents of Canada (excluding Quebec) will be invited to vote for their favourite entry. Limit: Only one vote (1) per individual per day during the Voting Phase. The Entry which receives the highest number of votes during the Voting Phase will be the Grand Prize winner. Please see the rules and regulations for more details.

You will need to supply:
• which province you are from and the contact person
o Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba must be a WinField United Canada retail owner
o Ontario must be an independent agriculture retail
• how many retail team members will be involved in supporting the project if approved
• confirmation of the project dates, to show the project work will be initiated within one year
• which charitable organization you are working with (if you are)
• a description of your overall project
• a description of how the project addresses a local need in the areas of Mental Health, Hunger, Education or Community
• how will the prize dollars be utilized
• how the project will impact your community
• any applicable photos or supporting documentation for your project.

7. Can I edit the entry form once I’ve submitted it?

No. Once your entry is submitted, you will not be able to edit it, so please make sure your entry is the best it can be! Please discuss the entry with key stakeholders at your retail branch location and consider working with a charitable organization to help plan and amplify your message.

8. Can I save my entry form partway through and return to it later?

No, you will not be able to partially complete your form and save changes. Please plan to fully complete the form entirely when you have all of the details for your application available.

9. When will the winners be announced?

Round 1 regional winners (four in total) will be contacted on or about October 18, 2023.
Round 2 grand prize winner will be contacted on or about November 17, 2023.

10. How do I vote for the grand prize winner?

Visit raisethebarn.ca to make your vote for the grand prize winner between 12:00 pm CST on November 1, 2023, and 11:59 pm CST on November 15, 2023.
You will need a valid email address in order to vote.

11. How many times can I vote?

You can vote a maximum of once per day with a valid email address. Be sure to mention this when encouraging others to vote!

12. How can I get other people to vote?

Once Round 2, the voting round of the contest opens, you will be able to vote for the four regional winners. The voting period is from 12:00 pm CST on November 1, 2023, to 11:59 pm CST on November 15, 2023. Be sure to post about it on your social channels using the voting link and the #RaiseTheBarn. We suggest working with a charitable organization to help amplify the message.

13. Who do I contact if I have questions?

Please contact WinFieldUnitedCanada@landolakes.com if you have any questions.

14. Where can I find the contest rules?

Download the Official Contest Rules PDF here.