Alberta farm group also interested | Young people key to rural survival
EDMONTON — The optimistic mood in agriculture makes now a perfect time to attract youth back into farming, says Alberta’s agriculture minister.
Evan Berger said young people are key to keeping farms and rural communities alive.
“If we’re going to have people to move this next generation of agriculture forward, it’s going to have to come out of our youth,” Berger told members of Wild Rose Agricultural Producers at their annual general meeting.
“We’re struggling to engage the youth, and without them our industry won’t survive. Who else will buy us out if we don’t have new invigoration in this industry?”
Read Also
Nutritious pork packed with vitamins, essential minerals
Recipes for pork
Berger said he doesn’t just want children to come back to the farm to do chores, but to return with a post secondary education, open a new business and use their youthful energy to reinvigorate and recharge rural communities.
“We need to get our rural communities vibrant again,” said Berger, who challenged Wild Rose members to engage youth and show them how successful and rewarding agriculture can be.
WRAP president Humphrey Banack said his group plans to establish a scholarship or bursary to encourage post secondary study in agriculture.
“Wild Rose has to encourage youth. We need young people coming forward to take over farms,” said Banack, whose own son returned last year to rejoin the family farm.
“It’s a huge opportunity for my son.”
Berger said WRAP hopes to find different ways to encourage youth to join the discussion about the future of agriculture, not just as advisers but as industry partners.
“We can’t be the grouchy guy standing in the coffee shop complaining about everything. Let’s make this attractive for youth and have them engaged. To do that we have to up our message,” he said.
“If the only message our youth gets is that everything is bad, they won’t return. We are very committed to bringing youth in. I want their input.”
Berger said he also wants input from WRAP on how to encourage youth to return to agriculture.
“You have a vital role to play in getting it right,” he said.
“We need to work together and stand together to promote this industry.”
