Our History

On June 20, 1955 five well-connected farm writers came together at the Agricultural Institute of Canada annual meeting in Edmonton. Several meetings followed and Tom Leach, of CBC, Dick Beamish of the Western Producer, Jack Cram, Western editor of the Family Herald, Frank Jacobs of Canadian Cattlemen and Don Baron, of Country Guide became the founding fathers of the Canadian Farm Writers’ Association. The organization of regional associations, and a change in name to the Canadian Farm Writers Federation followed soon after. The original vision of the organization was to have western and eastern associations under the umbrella of the national organization. In the end it was the will of British Columbia to have its own organization that resulted in the four western provinces forming their own groups, and the east maintaining one association. Quebec farm writers have always had their own organization separate from CFWF.