Nominations for the 2005 British Columbia and Yukon Outstanding Young Farmer are now open.
The timelines for OYF nominations and selection have been changed to make the process easier for nominees, said Syd Pickerell, chair of the B.C. committee. Under the new timeline, nominations for 2005 will close Nov. 1. Finalists will be announced Jan. 2, and judged Feb. 17. The regional winner will be announced during the B.C. Agriculture Council’s agricultural banquet Feb. 18. B.C.’s agriculture minister will present the award in front of the largest agricultural audience in the province, providing winners with recognition, said Pickerell.
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“Over 400 people from all sectors of agriculture attended the 2004 gala and we expect at least as many to attend in 2005. As the Outstanding Young Farmer is perhaps the premier individual award in B.C. agriculture, it is extremely appropriate for it to be presented at the gala,” he said.
The new timeline was chosen to allow more farmers to participate in the program because it allows more time to work on the nomination forms during the fall and winter instead of the busier spring and summer seasons. It will also allow the B.C. OYF program to give its sponsors a year of recognition for their support.
Abbotsford chicken growers Rick and Karen Thiessen were named the B.C. and Yukon Outstanding Young Farmers for 2004. The couple will compete in the OYF national event Nov. 18-21 in Winnipeg.
Two national winners are selected each year from seven regions across Canada. To be eligible for the OYF award, farmers must be 18-39 years of age, derive at least two-thirds of their annual income from farming and demonstrate progress in their agricultural careers.
Nominees are judged on conservation practices, production history, financial and management practices and contributions to their community, province and country.
If the Thiessens are chosen, they will be the third B.C. farmers to be recognized nationally in as many years. Ron and Jesse Brar of Evergreen Herbs and Glen and Laurie Bowman of Bowman Greenhouses became Canadian Outstanding Young Farmers in 2003 and 2002 respectively.
Milestone
This year marks the 25th annual competition to recognize farmers that exemplify excellence in their profession. An anniversary luncheon will be held at the Winnipeg event.
“It’s always interesting to catch up on what changes have happened in people’s lives,” said program manager Joan Cranston. She said the program serves as a positive in a sometimes negative situation.
“With all the negativity that sometimes surrounds agriculture, especially in the last year and a half, the program is a good news story. It’s the positive and the innovative and it’s what our youth are doing, which is the future of agriculture.”
Glen Gurr was one of the first OYF national winners in 1980, recognized for his innovative way of producing year-round and surplus feed for his 90-head dairy herd on 200 acres of baled hay harvested at its nutritional peak. Today, the Brandon area man owns and operates Infinity Oak, building custom cabinets and furniture with his son.
“It’s a quite an honour to receive something like that for all of Canada. There were three of us actually that year. And for a guy that’s farming in Manitoba here, that was a big award for us,” said Gurr.
“It’s a great program. It’s nice to see it going on year after year and I think it’s good to see people who’ve worked hard in what they’re doing be rewarded,” he added.
“It’s encouraging. Sometimes you have some years that aren’t that great but you struggle through them. Any of the people who have won these awards, it doesn’t just happen. It takes a lot of hard work and planning.”
