The Weyburn Agricultural Society will sponsor a scholarship for students who are entering post-secondary education related to the agriculture industry.

The group's executive decided to create the $500 scholarship at their annual meeting, Monday night.

This is the first time the Agricultural Society has provided a bursary for students, says president Don Payak.

"Our mandate is to promote agriculture, and we're involved in education through the 4-H program and our updates, so we feel youth and education are very important," he said. "These are tough times out there on the agriculture side, and if we can help in any small way we'll do it."

The scholarship will be available in 2001, but the criteria for applying has not been finalized yet.

Members of the Society's executive also discussed their major events throughout the year, including the farm and livestock updates, which are a series of educational seminars held in March and December; the rural/urban banquet held in the spring; the Farm, Home and Leisure Show, which is put on in conjunction with the Chamber of Commerce and Lions Club in April; the Weyburn Fair in July; and the rodeo in August.

The dates for the fair this year will be July 2, 3 and 4, which is the first Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday in July. The Agricultural Society always holds the fair on these first three days of the week in July due to scheduling issues within the fair circuit.

Payak told the executive about the Western Canada Fairs Convention he attended recently, and said the information and ideas exchanged at this event are often useful for planning Weyburn's fair.

Volunteers are crucial to the success of the events the Ag. Society puts on, and more volunteers would be welcome, says Payak.

"We're not to the point where we can't get the work done, but you always like to have more," he said.

Most of the volunteers come from the membership, which Payak says is at a good number, but he'd like to see more members. A membership only costs $5 per year.

No changes have been made to the 2001 executive. They include: Don Payak, president and attractions; Ryan Pederson, first vice-president and agriculture commercial; Dick Tollefson, second vice-president and 4-H interclub calf; Rick Bell, third vice-president and advertising; Dorlane Morrice, home products; Carmen Stephens, household arts; Beryl Tytlandsvik, junior works; Alvin Swanson, cattle committee; Margaret Loos, school work; Ray Wahl, hospitality; Tyler Metheral, parking and policing; Wendy Neisner and Roger Clay, horse committee; Stewart Neiszner and Treva Tollefson, gates; and Ron Metheral and Norm Flaten, historians.