Our 2021 Executive
Ronda Payne | President
A writer since she could hold a pen, Ronda Payne is passionate about her craft. A regular contributor to Country Life in BC, Manure Manager, Orchard & Vine and a wide range of other publications both consumer and trade-facing, she also writes for businesses who need their story told (be it a case study, blogging or articles). Ronda continues to grow in her writing career while she joyfully lives in Maple Ridge in "yet another" renovation project home with her husband and pets. Her side passion is making damn tasty cider in the basement.
Cathy Glover | Vice President
From yearbooks in high school to editing newsletters (and eventually websites) for every horse club she belonged to, Cathy has never strayed far from publishing. Her first full-time job out of school was with Western Living. She was publisher, editor and chief bottle-washer of The Quarter Circle, a publication of the BC Quarter Horse Association in the early 80s. She was doing yet another newsletter (for the BC Angus Association) when she was recruited as Country Life in BC's beef editor in 1997 by then-publisher Malcolm Young. She upgraded to a more lucrative position in advertising sales when Peter Wilding bought the struggling publication in 2000. When Peter announced his retirement in 2016, after successfully bringing the paper back to life, Cathy "bought her job" and is now publisher. When she's not pounding the keyboard, she shows Paint Horses with her daughter from their farm in Enderby.
David Schmidt | Treasurer
Treasurer and past president of the BC Farm Writers Association and a past director and president of the Canadian Farm Writers Federation, David Schmidt is editor emeritus of Country Life in BC and contributes to other regional and national agricultural magazines. David grew up on a mixed/dairy farm in the Fraser Valley. He has a BA in creative writing from the University of British Columbia and has been covering agriculture since 1985. His awards include being named BC's Agriculturist of the Year in 2000 and receiving the Canadian Farm Writers Federations Lifetime Achievement Award in 2016. When not involved in agriculture, David provides personal and small business tax services and plays tournament bridge. He is treasurer and a past president of the BC-Washington-Alaska District of the American Contract Bridge League.
Barbara Johnstone Grimmer | Secretary
Barbara Johnstone Grimmer is an agrologist who lives and writes from the Gulf Islands. She writes a regular column on farm life and farm issues for the Islands Independent community newspaper called "The Farmer's Stand". She is also a regular contributor to the BC Sheep Federation's publication The N'Ewes and more recently to Country Life in BC. Her writings are reproduced with photos, videos and added thoughts and gleanings in her blog.
Myrna Stark Leader | BC Director to Canadian Farm Writers Federation
An experienced writer and accredited communications professional, and Saskatchewan transplant to Kelowna, Myrna contributes to Country Life In BC and additional publications and projects. Although she didn’t grow up farming (both sets of grandparents were grain farmers), she is intrigued and fascinated by the innovation, entrepreneurs and variety of issues in agriculture. Myrna’s goal is to help share information and stories in a way that resonates. She’s past-president and a former, long-serving director of the Canadian Farm Writers Federation, a former Saskatchewan Farm Writers’ Association director and has been a trusted adviser to senior leadership on media and communications matters in municipal, provincial and federal gov’ts, as well as the private sector. Her work has been recognized with two IABC Gold Quill awards. Myrna loves her new home in BC and continues seeking new clients.
A writer since she could hold a pen, Ronda Payne is passionate about her craft. A regular contributor to Country Life in BC, Manure Manager, Orchard & Vine and a wide range of other publications both consumer and trade-facing, she also writes for businesses who need their story told (be it a case study, blogging or articles). Ronda continues to grow in her writing career while she joyfully lives in Maple Ridge in "yet another" renovation project home with her husband and pets. Her side passion is making damn tasty cider in the basement.
Cathy Glover | Vice President
From yearbooks in high school to editing newsletters (and eventually websites) for every horse club she belonged to, Cathy has never strayed far from publishing. Her first full-time job out of school was with Western Living. She was publisher, editor and chief bottle-washer of The Quarter Circle, a publication of the BC Quarter Horse Association in the early 80s. She was doing yet another newsletter (for the BC Angus Association) when she was recruited as Country Life in BC's beef editor in 1997 by then-publisher Malcolm Young. She upgraded to a more lucrative position in advertising sales when Peter Wilding bought the struggling publication in 2000. When Peter announced his retirement in 2016, after successfully bringing the paper back to life, Cathy "bought her job" and is now publisher. When she's not pounding the keyboard, she shows Paint Horses with her daughter from their farm in Enderby.
David Schmidt | Treasurer
Treasurer and past president of the BC Farm Writers Association and a past director and president of the Canadian Farm Writers Federation, David Schmidt is editor emeritus of Country Life in BC and contributes to other regional and national agricultural magazines. David grew up on a mixed/dairy farm in the Fraser Valley. He has a BA in creative writing from the University of British Columbia and has been covering agriculture since 1985. His awards include being named BC's Agriculturist of the Year in 2000 and receiving the Canadian Farm Writers Federations Lifetime Achievement Award in 2016. When not involved in agriculture, David provides personal and small business tax services and plays tournament bridge. He is treasurer and a past president of the BC-Washington-Alaska District of the American Contract Bridge League.
Barbara Johnstone Grimmer | Secretary
Barbara Johnstone Grimmer is an agrologist who lives and writes from the Gulf Islands. She writes a regular column on farm life and farm issues for the Islands Independent community newspaper called "The Farmer's Stand". She is also a regular contributor to the BC Sheep Federation's publication The N'Ewes and more recently to Country Life in BC. Her writings are reproduced with photos, videos and added thoughts and gleanings in her blog.
Myrna Stark Leader | BC Director to Canadian Farm Writers Federation
An experienced writer and accredited communications professional, and Saskatchewan transplant to Kelowna, Myrna contributes to Country Life In BC and additional publications and projects. Although she didn’t grow up farming (both sets of grandparents were grain farmers), she is intrigued and fascinated by the innovation, entrepreneurs and variety of issues in agriculture. Myrna’s goal is to help share information and stories in a way that resonates. She’s past-president and a former, long-serving director of the Canadian Farm Writers Federation, a former Saskatchewan Farm Writers’ Association director and has been a trusted adviser to senior leadership on media and communications matters in municipal, provincial and federal gov’ts, as well as the private sector. Her work has been recognized with two IABC Gold Quill awards. Myrna loves her new home in BC and continues seeking new clients.
Meet a few of our other members
(in alphabetical order)
Kate Ayers
I am passionate about the ag industry, environmental sustainability, consumer education and healthy living! Fortunately, I have been able to combine these loves through researching, writing, posting content and running. I graduated from the University of Guelph in 2017 with a bachelor’s degree in agricultural science. I worked as a staff writer for an ag publications company in Guelph, Ont. for three years. In February, I started my own freelance journalism company called the Renude Food Project to foster connections between farmers and consumers, provide transparency throughout the food value chain and empower Canadians to better understand how food travels from farm gate to their dinner plates. I write for BC Holstein News and Country Life in BC. I am also pursuing my goals as an elite track and field athlete, training in Victoria.
Amanda Brittain
Amanda Brittain is the Manager of Communications & Marketing for the BC Egg Marketing Board. Amanda has more than 20 years of communications experience with various organizations in BC. At BC Egg, Amanda is responsible for all communications and marketing activities including the e-newsletters, website, events and sponsorships. She concentrates on ensuring all activities are strategically planned and support BC Egg’s brand. She holds a master's degree in communications from Royal Roads University and is an Accredited Business Communicator with the International Association of Business Communicators.
Catherine Brown
I am a cattewoman trained in journalism and have for 35 years specialized in writing about livestock and agriculture in at least 16 provincial and national publications. In both writing and editorial capacities, my assignments have included farm and ranch profiles, farm management tools and related agricultural news and articles. I like to balance industry technology with wisdom from Mother Nature and from fellow producers and ranchers of all generations, to shed light on ways we can work sustainably in primary production. I encourage transparency and communication that flows between urban and rural sectors of our population to highlight our common values and dissolve misunderstandings. Blog: www.cattlecalling.com
Launching a regenerative agriculture magazine and my first book in 2021. The latter highlights important life lessons gleaned from the cattle world.
Tars and Kash Cheema
Tars is the publisher of BC Holstein News.
Kathleen Gibson
Four years with the BC Federation of Agriculture (1982-86) started Kathleen on a 30+ year quest for sustainable food systems and related public policy. She is a founding member of Food Secure Canada, the BC Food Systems Network and the Capital Region Food and Agriculture Initiatives Roundtable (CR-FAIR). She has worked on policy files including supply management reform and development of BC’s graduated licensing system for meat processing as well as its provincial inspections. She has been a feature writer and editor for publishers DC Health and Wiley and currently contributes Viewpoint columns to Country Life in BC. Her fruit and vegetable garden in Victoria BC constantly reinforces her empathy for farmers.
Anna Helmer
Anna is a farm story columnist for Country Life in BC.
Peter Mitham
Peter Mitham is a freelance contributor to trade and business publications in Canada and the US, primarily on real estate, agriculture and food. He is associate editor for Country Life in BC and a contributor to the Wine Analytics Report. His experience includes broadcast and digital media as well as print. Some of his earliest agriculture reporting was for the Fredericton Daily Gleaner and Farm Focus, a monthly farm paper in Atlantic Canada where his family is engaged in dairy and egg production. He lives in Vancouver.
Kevin Plastow
Kevin is an award winning graphic designer and photographer with over 30 years experience in community newspaper and print publications. He is currently graphic design and photographer for BC Holstein News and as well freelances from his home office in Chilliwack.
Sandra Tretick
Sandra is a freelance writer and communications specialist with a passion for writing about farming, food and forestry. She is a former treasurer of the BC Farm Writers Association and is based in the Southern Gulf Islands.
Agricultural Publications
Members of the BC Farm Writers Association contribute to the following publications:
BC Agriculture Media
BC Holstein News
Beef in BC
BC Organic Grower
Canadian Grapes to Wine
Country Life in BC
Farmwest.com
Island Farm & Garden
Orchard & Vine
N'ewes
Small Farm Canada
Canadian Agriculture Media
AgKnowledge Magazine
AgriSuccess Express
AgriSuccess Journal
Alberta Farmer Express
Canadian Farm Manager
Canadian Organic Grower
Canadian Poultry Magazine
Country Guide
Farming for Tomorrow
Fruit & Vegetable Magazine
Grainews
Greenhouse Canada
Growing Tomorrow
Holstein Journal
Prairie Hog Country
Small Farm Canada
The Western Producer
Top Crop Manager
Western Dairy Farmer
