Credit unions understand the value of agriculture to Alberta and to Albertans.
We know how hard it is for anyone to build or grow an ag business – but it can be especially challenging for women due to insufficient access to capital and financing.
- Applications open: June 12, 2025
- Application deadline: July 4, 2025
- Notification sent to successful recipients: August 2025
Applicants must be legal residents of Alberta, who, at the time of entry, are at least 18 years of age. Applicants must be women who currently work or are planning to work in agriculture.
For full rules and regulations, including detailed eligibility criteria, please review the Rules + Regulations page here. For Frequently Asked Questions, please review the FAQs page here.
The Women in Ag Grant is brought to you by Credit Unions of Alberta and Alberta Central.
Credit Unions of Alberta represents the 12 credit unions located across the province and Alberta Central is the central banking facility and trade association for Alberta’s credit unions. You can stay in the loop on all the Credit Unions of Alberta grants and scholarships by subscribing here.
#WomeninAg
2024 Winners
Lesley Burton, Tillorie Farms
Lesley is a fourth-generation farmer and manages Tillorie Farms Ltd. with her husband and two daughters. Her farm is primarily dedicated to field crops, with the recent addition of greenhouse strawberries and raspberries. She is also a professional Agrologist and the owner and operator of Idyllic Resources Ltd. that offers consulting services in irrigated land classification and soil fertility. In her role managing the farm, she strives to mentor and guide women who aspire to careers in agriculture to help empower the next generation. She is also a champion of sustainable farming practices and is working to make farming more environmentally and economically sustainable for communities and producers. She will use the funds to continue to expand her operation, both to increase fertilizer injection efficiency and expand her greenhouse facilities.
Lesley is a member of Servus Credit Union.
Lesley Burton
Tillorie Farms Ltd.
Roxanne Doerksen, Trad Worm Industries
Roxanne is the founder and CEO of Trad Worm Industries, focused on advancing environmental agriculture through soil remediation. Her mission is to ensure the continued growth of clean and healthy food using vermicomposting and composting. She is passionate about sustainability, microbiology and soil science, which motivated her to start a business that uses landfill-diverted organic waste to create biologically diverse soil amendments. She is committed to supporting women in the ag industry, both within her company through opportunities for leadership and growth, and outside her company by actively participating in industry forums and networks for women in ag. She will use the funds to enhance her operations and expand the impact of her sustainable agriculture business.
Roxanne is a member of Servus Credit Union.
Roxanne Doerksen
Trad Worm Industries
2025 Judges
Iris Meck
Iris Meck was raised in Sapton, Manitoba on a small mixed farm, and attended the University of Manitoba where she graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Agriculture. Iris started her career at Cargill Limited, and for over 10 years, held management positions in marketing and sales. During that time, Iris earned a Certificate in Management at the University of Manitoba, and then moved into Account Management for prominent agricultural marketing agencies in Regina and Calgary.
In 2000, Iris started her own business delivering marketing strategies for domestic and international agricultural corporations. Since then, Iris has organized numerous forums, conferences, workshops, product launches, facility openings and social gatherings for clients in the agriculture and food industry.
Iris is the founder and host of the Advancing Women Conferences, a Life Skills for Leadership Program for women in agriculture across Canada. Since 2014, these conferences have been held twice a year: once in Calgary in March and once in Niagara Falls in November. To date, over 8,000 women in agriculture and food have attended the Advancing Women Conferences.
“I believe that women should be recognized for the contributions we make to agriculture,” says Meck. “AWC brings women in agriculture and food together to help build their confidence and provide them with the tools and skills to live their lives to their fullest potential, becoming happier, wealthier, and more successful women.”
Iris lives in Calgary, Alberta.
Iris Meck,
Iris Meck Communications Inc.
Amy Cousley
Growing up on a small family farm in the picturesque landscapes of northern British Columbia, Amy Cousley developed a profound connection with the land and the rhythms of rural life. Her early years were shaped by the values of hard work, resilience, and community, which are intrinsic to the agricultural way of life. These formative experiences instilled in her a deep appreciation for the importance of agriculture and the role it plays in sustaining communities and economies.
Achieving a bachelor’s degree in business administration, equipping her with a solid foundation in business principles, she set out to make a meaningful impact in the agricultural sector. With a decade of experience at newly merged Servus credit union, from the front line to executive assistant- her heart ultimately always brought her back to Agriculture. In her role as Member Experience Specialist, she carved out a niche within the agriculture team, where Amy’s expertise and dedication shone brightly, bringing together a deep understanding of rural producers with business acumen to serve members in meaningful ways.
Outside of her professional career, Amy and her husband reside in rural Southern Alberta, raising their two boys. When not taxiing her children around she can often be found volunteering in community events or assisting organizations like the Brooks Fish & Game society execute fundraisers.