Meet Tara deVries & Family
It’s difficult to sum up Tara deVries’ involvement with the poultry industry. That said, one thing is certain – her passion for farming and for supporting agriculture is strong.
Tara deVries
Wife, Mother, Grandmother, Passionate Farmer
“I am very passionate about the fact that if we don’t tell our story, someone else will, and we know it won’t always be the correct story. Being out in the community has given me the opportunity to correct some of the myths around our industry firsthand. Hopefully, our story gets spread a little more with each encounter.
“If you have a question about how your food is grown or raised, go to the source – ask a farmer.”
Growing up, Tara lived with her family near an urban golf course in B.C. She met her first husband, a dairy farmer, in high school, which sparked her passion for agriculture.
Shortly after they married, the couple moved to the wide-open prairies of southern Alberta in search of new opportunities. “Although we would have loved to farm right away, it wasn’t financially possible, so we took our savings and started a manure-hauling and highway trucking company,” she recalls.
In the early 2000s, they had an unexpected chance to manage a poultry operation when the owner had to return to Holland. A realtor, aware of their interest in the poultry industry, offered them the opportunity to run the farm temporarily. “We were so grateful for the chance to get our feet wet,” Tara says.
However, just before shipping out their first flock, Tara’s husband was severely injured in a farm accident. She suddenly found herself juggling roles as wife, mother to their three young children (Stephane, Eric and Kyle), nurse, and farmer. “We had committed to three cycles, and with help from friends, we fulfilled our commitment,” she says proudly. “When the new owners arrived, I was teaching them how to run the farm. It was emotional knowing we had to step away from something we had begun to love.”
In 2005, the couple purchased a poultry farm in Coaldale, Alta. “We were so excited to be back at it!” she recalls. Over the years, they expanded their operation, adding a feedlot. Tara managed the poultry while she and her husband worked together on the cattle and land.
In 2009, tragedy struck when her husband fell ill, passing away from cancer in 2011. With the support of family, her local church, and her farming neighbours, Tara managed to keep the farm and family going. “The months after his passing were overwhelming, but I was determined to run a successful operation,” she reflects. “I learned more about mechanics, furnaces, and farm equipment than I ever expected. My phone favourites became the feed salesman and the local livestock service company—both were invaluable.”
After remarrying, Tara and her new husband, Darren, whose clients were all in Edmonton, purchased a farm near the city, planning to move once her youngest child finished high school. This was a perfect fit, as her two older children were already living in the area with their own families. Today, Tara and Darren farm 58,000 birds in three barns on 25 acres. “This farm has alternated between turkeys and chickens over the years,” she shares. "We’re about 20 minutes from Edmonton, and a neighbouring farmer crops 6 of our acres.”
Darren, a full-time graphic designer, also helps with daily tasks in the barn. Together, they’ve upgraded almost everything on the farm, from adding computer systems in each barn to replacing furnaces and exhaust fans. “It’s important for me to be able to monitor the barns remotely, ensuring the birds are always in the best environment,” Tara explains.
Ag-vocacy
For 10 years, while on the Coaldale farm, Tara hosted farm tours for second-year agriculture students from Lethbridge College. But at her new farm near Edmonton, she hadn’t given any tours until a senior from her church mentioned driving past the farm. “At first, I was alarmed, but then I thought maybe she was just curious,” Tara says. “It’s important to be transparent in our industry, so I thought, why not offer farm tours as a way to educate people about where their food comes from?”
That decision led her to host a group of 10 senior ladies for a tour, starting with pastries and coffee before suiting up to visit the barns. “They were so excited and absorbed everything I shared,” Tara remembers. A few days later, another seniors’ group requested a tour, and soon she was regularly hosting farm visits.
Tara’s advocacy work extends beyond her farm. She has represented Alberta’s chicken farm families in numerous events and presentations such as presentations at Lakeland College, the Classroom Agriculture Program, Inside Education’s Cultiv8te event, and engaging with the public at the Calgary Stampede and Calgary Stampede Aggie Days. Additionally, Tara continues to host farm tours, providing a personal and informative look into her world of poultry farming. “I was naive to think everyone knows what a farmer does!” she says. “It was eye-opening to share our industry with both young and old.”
“Transparency is key,” she says, noting that misconceptions about farming practices put a lot of pressure on farmers. A consumer study revealed that many Canadians mistakenly believe chicken in Canada is raised with hormones and steroids, both of which have been banned for over 50 years.
Industry Challenges
Tara sees the potential for more imports into the Canadian market as a significant challenge for the industry. “Canadian farmers have been providing safe, high-quality food to Canadians for years,” she says. “I know this because I grow chicken under audited, mandatory Animal Care and On-Farm Food Safety Assurance Programs. Being audited every year by a third party ensures that I, along with all chicken farmers in Canada, am accountable for my practices.”
Opening the market to more imports, she believes, would jeopardize the livelihood of Canadian farming families and compromise the supply of fresh, Canadian-grown products. “I’m proud to be a Canadian farmer and to be able to pass a strong, sustainable profession onto future generations,” she says. “We, as farmers, along with the entire supply chain, have a responsibility to tell our story and ensure Canadians understand how and why we do what we do. If we don’t tell our story, someone else will.”
Today, Tara is in her second term on the Alberta Chicken Producers' Board of Directors and currently serves as Vice-Chair, representing Alberta chicken farmers. Family continues to play a huge part in Tara’s life. When she isn’t busy volunteering, helping create videos to counter myths, or tending to her flock, Tara spends time with her three children, their spouses and her and Darren’s eight grandchildren, with one more on the way.
