The Manitoba Agricultural Hall of Fame has announced its inductees for 2019.

The two inductees are:

Roy Robinson (Winnipeg): Roy is being recognized as co-founder of Versatile Manufacturing Ltd. and is credited with many inventions and equipment innovations including the modern-day grain auger used by combine harvesters. Although Roy passed away in 1993, the province awarded Robinson (and his cofounder Peter Pakosh, inducted in 2018) the Manitoba Export Award for his contributions to Versatile, cited as “one of the most fascinating success stories in the history of the Manitoba industry.”

Ernie Esau (Elm Creek): Ernie is being recognized as a true leader in Canadian beef agriculture. What began with his initial purchase of two purebred Shorthorn heifers ultimately resulted in Ernie becoming a breeding trendsetter with his Dual-Purpose Polled Shorthorns. Ernie’s highly regarded reputation earned him hundreds of awards and accolades from professors and peers for his improvements to the breed.

Ernie and Roy will be inducted at a special ceremony to be held on Monday, June 17, 2019 at the Victoria Inn Hotel and Convention Centre in Winnipeg. The ceremony will also include the announcement of the Red River Exhibition’s 2019 Farm Family of the Year as well as the opportunity to award the Red River Exhibition Foundation’s Agriculture & Agri-Food scholarships.

The mandate of the Manitoba Agriculture Hall of Fame is to formally and publicly recognize persons who, in the course of their residence in Manitoba, have made an outstanding contribution to the improvement of agriculture and the betterment of rural living in the province.

The gallery can be viewed in Brandon at the Keystone Centre or online at www.manitobaaghalloffame.com.