Would you believe that the organization that formed Alberta’s government from 1921 to 1935 was also a popular farmers’ association? The United Farmers of Alberta (UFA) was both a combination of local clubs and a political lobby group. It also became involved in selling farmers’ grain.
At its height, the UFA had over 30 000 members and 1200 local clubs. The idea for a province-wide farmers’ association came from the United States, where many Alberta immigrants came from. They helped organize the Society of Equity in Edmonton in 1905. A rival organization, the Alberta Farm Association, was established in 1906. Both groups joined forces in 1909 as the UFA.
Henry Wise Wood, a prosperous stockman from Missouri who came to Alberta in 1905, rose to prominence in the UFA. He joined the Society of Equity and the UFA when it formed in 1909. In 1915, he became the UFA’s vice-president, and the following year, he was elected president, holding the position until his retirement in 1931.
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