For the Schmeiser family, supporting Saskatchewan Polytechnic’s Time to Rise Campaign is about more than a donation. It’s about honouring a legacy built on hard work, community values and the belief that standing up for what’s right matters.

The Schmeiser family has come together to donate $35,000 toward the renewal of the Agricultural Equipment Technician (AET) program shop. The gift is made in memory of Percy Schmeiser and will be recognized in the AET workshop for the next 15 years as Schmeiser’s Garage – Percy and Louise Schmeiser.

Long before the Schmeiser name became known internationally, Percy and Louise built their life together around farming, small business and service to their community. Their farm equipment dealerships in both Bruno and Humboldt, Saskatchewan, were more than a repair shop. It was a place where neighbours stopped in for coffee, conversation and help solving whatever problem needed fixing. Like many equipment dealerships, theirs were a cornerstone of their rural communities that served as the operational backbone that kept modern prairie agriculture running.

Those roots shaped everything that followed. Percy would later become widely known for his landmark legal battle with a major seed corporation. A case that drew global attention and helped spark international discussion about farmer rights and seed sovereignty. His perseverance and willingness to stand his ground made him a symbol for farmers around the world.

But to the family, Percy was first and foremost a husband, father, grandfather and advocate who believed deeply in community service and empowering others.

That belief continues through his son John Schmeiser, who serves on the Time to Rise Campaign cabinet. John recently served as Chief Operating Officer of the North American Equipment Dealers Association (NAEDA), where he represented more than 5,000 equipment dealers across Canada and the United States. Over his career, he has worked closely with manufacturers, dealers and industry leaders across North America.

John is continuing his over 30 years of work with equipment dealer associations in North America. He has now transitioned to lead the Canada Equipment Dealers Foundation (CEDF), NAEDA’s Canadian Charitable arm. He was instrumental in securing the CEDF’s $300,000 donation to the Time to Rise Campaign.

In 2022, Saskatchewan Polytechnic recognized his contributions to the industry and education by awarding him an honorary degree.

“Our family’s roots in agriculture go back generations,” John says. “Our ancestors came to Saskatchewan with little more than grit, courage and the belief that if you worked hard enough, the prairie would eventually reward you. Our parents continued this legacy. Supporting the AET program felt like the right way to honour Mom and Dad, and to help students who will carry this industry forward.”

The donation is truly a family effort, with contributions from John and his wife Leandra, John’s sisters Mary Jane Revering and her husband Paul; Anna Marie Ference and her husband David; Mary Lou Schechtel and Percy’s wife Louise.

Together, they wanted to recognize Percy’s memory in a way that reflects both the family’s history and the future of the agricultural industry.

The renovation and expansion of the AET workshop will help ensure students have access to modern equipment, updated learning spaces and the hands-on training required in today’s rapidly evolving agricultural sector.

From Percy’s early days repairing machinery in a prairie equipment dealership to John’s leadership across the North American equipment industry, the Schmeiser family has spent decades connected to the people and businesses that keep agriculture moving.

“This is really about carrying that connection forward to the next generation,” John says. “Dad believed strongly in standing up for farmers and supporting rural communities. Helping train the people who will maintain and build the equipment agriculture depends on feels like a good way to continue that legacy.”

Through their gift, the Schmeiser family is helping ensure Saskatchewan Polytechnic graduates are ready to support the province’s agricultural sector for years to come—one well-trained technician at a time.