The Saskatchewan and federal governments are investing $500,000 to develop the next generation of agricultural leaders.
Provincial agriculture minister Lyle Stewart announced May 2 that a youth leadership and mentorship program will be offered over the next five years as part of Growing Forward 2 programming.
“Youth are the future of this industry and the province,” he said.
“When we have a lot of young folks coming back into the industry at long last, we need to pass along some of the great leadership skills.”
The program will be modelled on the Canadian Cattlemen’s Association young leaders program.
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Industry associations will be eligible to receive up to $4,000 per mentorship to a maximum of $20,000 per association.
Costs such as travel expenses for industry events and meeting registration fees are eligible.
Brad Wildeman, a former CCA president and respected beef industry leader, said young people who are busy building their own operations and facing significant costs need some help to travel and learn about their sectors.
When he was younger, his mentors were people like ranchers Gary Jones and Neil Jahnke, whom he remembers watching represent the industry on television.
However, he said he didn’t get to work with and learn from them until much later.
“This is the opportunity for young people to get into this thing, meet these people while they’re still active, and that’s the exciting part of it,” Wildeman said.
Jeff Yorga of Flintoft, Sask., and Tara Davidson of Ponteix, Sask., are alumni of the program and said the opportunities are tremendous.
“Any type of mentorship program depends on how you use it,” said Yorga.
“You learn what you want to learn. If you’re active and you’re involved, there’s no limit to what you can learn.”
Davidson said she learned more about the entire cattle industry as a whole, how check-off money is used and how a board works. Building a network and relationships has been a lasting benefit, she said.
Saskatchewan Oat Development Commission executive director Shawna Mathieson said a mentorship program is a new concept for the crops sector but one she welcomes.
Younger oat growers are becoming more active, she said. For example, three members of the Alberta association’s board of directors are younger than 35.
Canadian Western Agribition signed on as a mentor for the CCA program last fall, and chief executive officer Marty Seymour said an industry-wide effort is a great initiative.
