There are close to 300 agricultural societies across Alberta and many of them will send representatives to their Annual General Meeting in Edmonton Feb. 5 - 7.

Tim Carson with the Alberta Association of Agriculture Societies says, in general, they're all surviving.

"Every community is a little bit different, which makes the ag societies program a bit unique in that fashion, " he says. "They are there to support agriculture and the quality of life in their community so each one does a little bit different thing in their own community but on the grand scale of things everybody's doing quite well."

He says some, like many Foothills communities, have major events like rodeos and other events while some operate curling clubs and hockey rinks.

"Many of our ag societies have year round operations whether they're running a similar facility to High River with the rodeo grounds and things of that nature or hockey rinks and curling rinks, community halls, you name it, they have it in their midst, there's over 700 facilities owned and operated by ag societies in the province," Carson says.

He expects about 120 societies will attend the AGM and take in the sessions with keynote speakers and 25 educational seminars, 17 showcase acts and trade show booths.

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