Canadians between the ages of 18 and 30 are encouraged to apply
By Diego Flammini
Staff Writer
Farms.com
Canada’s federal minister of agriculture and agri-food is looking for young Canadians to join the second cohort of the Canadian Agricultural Youth Council (CAYC).
Marie-Claude Bibeau introduced the idea of the youth council in January 2020 and announced its members that July.
The current council is made up of 25 people between the ages of 18 and 30. The members represent all 10 provinces and the Yukon Territory.
They met eight times between Sept. 2020 and December 2021 with Minister Bibeau, other government officials and stakeholders to discuss multiple ag issues including building public trust, education and designing business risk management programs.
Council members also provided feedback on the Next Policy Framework, which will replace the Canadian Agricultural Partnership in 2023. And they discussed climate change and AAFC’s Agricultural Climate Solutions and Agricultural Clean Technology Program.
“I was impressed by the commitment and the professionalism of these young leaders. They all came from different background and region and got organized quite rapidly to bring a meaningful contribution to program development,” Minister Bibeau told Farms.com in an emailed statement. “I remember our first meeting. They were moved by public trust and sharing best practices with farmers.”
Interested youth have until March 22, 2022, to apply to be part of the CAYC.
The second cohort’s 18-month term will start in the summer. The 25-person council will consist of up to 14 new members and other returning from the first cohort.
Jerry Bos
Current council members encourage Canadian youth to apply.
“Take the plunge,” Jerry Bos, a dairy farmer from Salisbury, N.B. and co-chair of the council, told Farms.com. “It’s a great opportunity and at the bare minimum you can expect to become more aware of how AAFC operates in its ability to support farmers and the rest of the agri-food system. You can learn about different parts of the ag sector, learn about regional and provincial issues, and make great industry connections.”
Bos has been able to apply what he’s learned on the council on his home farm.
Being aware of changes in society, the environment and the economy allow him to be a better farm manager, he said.
“I’m a better business owner now,” he said. “I can plan a little bit more strategically for the future and push in directions that I may not have before. And knowing how programming works, and having been able to provide feedback on that programming, allows me to see if these tools will be sufficiently used by producers instead of being lost in the management of the program.”