Inducted: November 15, 2016
Alice Uher is described as a "very passionate and exuberant woman" in her involvement in agriculture and with agriculture organizations.
Alice was born on January 5th, 1957 to Joe and Mary Mojzis and raised on the family farm, a mixed farm in the former Raleigh Township. They grew cabbage, tobacco, grains and oilseeds as well as raised hogs and cattle.
Her post-secondary education includes being a graduate from the University of Guelph with Honours, BSc. in Microbiology in 1979, graduate of Environmental Health Inspection from Ryerson Polytechnical as a Certified Canadian Public Health Inspector in 1980, and is also a graduate of Class 5 of the Advanced Ag Leadership Program in 1995. She worked for a number of years as a public health inspector and in food processing quality control before being drawn back to primary agriculture.
Alice married Steve Uher from the Blenheim area in 1980, and they purchased their first farm in 1985, focusing first on hog finishing. In 1989, they began Uher's Performance Feeds as the local Purina Dealer for the Chatham-Kent area. Their main focus of servicing commercial livestock producers expanded as they became partners in a large farrow to wean hog operation and started a market lamb flock.
Alice has been an active member of the Kent Federation of Agriculture for over 25 years, initially becoming the voice of the Kent Federation of Agriculture through the KFA Update on CFCO Radio. This early role expanded to involvement in agricultural mall displays and Women's Development Day.
It was during challenges facing large livestock operations that she became active in Environment and Land Use, Consumer Education and Political awareness, which continues to be her focus. First serving on the local board, she later represented South Kent as an Ontario Federation of Ontario Provincial Director, before being elected as President of the Kent Federation of Agriculture in 2009, which represents over 2,000 farm families in Chatham-Kent.
Through her role as an executive of the KFA, she became a founding member of the Chatham-Kent Unified Farm Voice which brings together the local executives of the Kent Federation of Agriculture, the Christian Farmers of Ontario and the National Farmers Union CKUFV to provide local agricultural input to municipal, provincial, and federal politicians, on areas of common concern for local farmers. Alice has been extensively involved with challenges to intensive livestock operation expansion and has made presentations to various levels of government on topics ranging from the economic importance of agriculture to Chatham-Kent, support of local infrastructure and fair taxation. In addition to working on the 'Round the County Tours, Chatham-Kent Buy Local, Buy Fresh Maps & website, and Food Freedom Day initiatives, Alice represented agricultural interests on the Chatham-Kent Workforce Labour Board, and currently represents Chatham-Kent on the Ontario Federation of Agriculture Policy Advisory Council.
Alice received the annual "Ed Campbell Memorial Award" in 2002, commemorating outstanding contributions by a KFA Board Member. She was also recognized in 2009 by the Blenheim Chamber of Commerce, and in 2011 by the Chatham & District Chamber of Commerce as Agriculturalist of the Year.
Alice has also been actively involved in Czech/Slovak religious and folkloristic activities, including the teaching of ethnic dances and songs, and the preparation of traditional costumes. She continues to sing in the choir at Blessed Sacrament Church. She loves to cook and bake, practice yoga, and make and drink wine, but her greatest joy is spending time with her husband Steve and their family.
Alice considers her greatest success to be their four children, Katy (Dave Smith) of Blenheim, Andrea (Luke) Atkinson of Chatham, Stephanie (Justin) Tinker of Saint John, N.B., and Mark (Carolyn) Uher of Grindrod B.C. , along with their four grandchildren.