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How a first generation Sask. resident helped end summer fallow

Murad Al-Katib was born in Davidson, SK to Turkish immigrants. His father was the town doctor for 50 years and his mother went from learning English watching Sesame Street with her children to becoming the community’s mayor.

Al-Katib told his story and how he ended up as the president of a $2.8 billion agriculture company to a group of engaged business leaders in Prince Albert as part of Small Business Week.

“It was a time in Saskatchewan when we were going through what I would call a massive transformation in agriculture,” he said. “The wooden elevators were closing. It was a race for the concrete terminals.”

His father, who farmed 4,400 acres of his own while being a full-time doctor, decided that one of his two sons would likely want to be a farmer as well but at 16, Al-Katib told his dad he loved the business part of agriculture rather than spending his days on the land.

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California Farm Bureau 2025 Farm Dog of the Year Contest Winner - Willy - CAFB 107th Annual Meeting

Video: California Farm Bureau 2025 Farm Dog of the Year Contest Winner - Willy - CAFB 107th Annual Meeting

Meet Willy: California Farm Bureau’s 2025 Farm Dog of the Year!

We’re excited to introduce Willy, a miniature long-haired dachshund with a big heart and even bigger courage, and the Grand Prize winner of this year’s Farm Dog of the Year Contest!

Willy may be small, but he’s become an indispensable partner on owner Marshal Hagedorn’s forestry and cattle operations in Shasta, Tehama, and Siskiyou counties. Adopted in 2023, he quickly found his place on the ranch, helping manage critters, tagging along for long days in the woods, and offering unwavering companionship during demanding logging work.

Willy has even taken naturally to moving cattle, surprising calves (and more than a few full-grown cows!) with his burst of energy from the tall grass. As Marshal put it: “He goes with me everywhere every single day.”

Congratulations to Willy and his family, a perfect example of how every good farm dog, no matter the size, helps keep California agriculture running strong.