Seven farm and ranch families from across Canada will get a look at how agriculture works in southern Alberta in late November, as the regional nominees for Canada’s Outstanding Young Farmers (COYF) make their way to Lethbridge for the national awards competition.
The seven regional finalists, who represent agriculture enterprises ranging from fruit, vegetable and wine production to beef, dairy and organically grown crops, will join about 200 COYF alumni and guests for the 44th national event, being hosted by the Alberta/Northwest Territories OYF region and running from Nov. 27 to Dec. 1.
Each of the regional winners will meet with judges for interviews and make their final presentations to the full assembly on Nov. 29, before two of the farming operations will be named national winners at a banquet that evening.
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You can visit our articles here on the seven regional nominees for 2024, including:
- Geena Luckett, Luckett’s Vineyard, Atlantic Canada;
- Simon Plante and Alison Blouin, Polyculture Plante, Quebec;
- Matt Bergman and DJ Wassenaar, Haybury Farms, Ontario;
- Marcus and Paige Dueck, Four Oak Farms, Manitoba;
- Cyle and Erika Stewart, Pine Ranch, Saskatchewan;
- Lorin, Michael and Barry Doerksen, Gemstone Grass Fed Beef, Alberta; and
- Tristan and Aubyn Banwell, Spray Creek Ranch, B.C.
Along with the competition and awards segment of the program, the OYF nominees will also have a chance to tour a number of farms, including OYF alumni such as Mercer Seeds, Schooten and Sons, and Stamp Seeds.
The itinerary also includes ag enterprises such as Meridian Manufacturing, Bayer Crop Science’s canola seed processing facility, Western Tractor’s John Deere dealership, and Green Prairie International, a forage processor.
There will also be a tour and lunch at Lethbridge Polytechnic, plus visits to other southern Alberta attractions.
Canada’s Outstanding Young Farmers program is an annual competition to recognize farmers that exemplify excellence in their profession and promote the tremendous contribution of agriculture.
Open to participants 18 to 39 years of age, making the majority of their income from on-farm sources, participants are selected from seven regions across Canada, with two national winners chosen each year.
The program is sponsored nationally by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, CIBC, John Deere, Bayer, Sollio Agriculture, Meridian Manufacturing and CN, with media sponsors Glacier FarmMedia and WS, and video sponsor Bamboo Shoots. It is supported nationally by BDO.
For information on the program, visit the COYF website.
