Source: The Canadian Brewery Industry

GROWMARK, Inc. is a regional co-operative that provides agriculture-related products and services to farmers and rural residents in Ontario and the United States through local FS member co-operatives and by GROWMARK subsidiaries. The Ontario FS System represent close to 32,000 members, 1,500 employees, and close to 90,000 customers.

For GROWMARK – now in its 86th year – it’s been important to be involved in youth development. We know that youth are the future leaders in agriculture – be it farming, agribusiness or as government influencers.

For us, we feel one great way to engage and support young people in ag is to hear about how young people view the future of agriculture from young leaders first-hand.

Each year GROWMARK invites youth delegates from 4-H Ontario , the Co-operative Young Leaders Program, Junior Farmers Association of Ontario, and FFA in the United States to take part in its Annual Meeting in Chicago, Illinois. Four young people are chosen to give a two-minute speech on a variety of topics such as youth leadership, co-operative values and principles and the future of agriculture to a large audience of delegates, directors, employees and friends of GROWMARK.

The videos below feature two of the young ag leaders who spoke at our meetings. Will Heeman spoke at our 2007 AGM and Nicole Atkins spoke in 2010 on their views on agriculture technology and the future of agriculture. Both are Co-operative Young Leader graduates.

About the Co-operative Young Leader Program:

Created in 1967 by United Co-operatives of Ontario, the Co-operative Young Leaders program has been in existence for almost 50 years. Now run by the Ontario Co-operative Association, CYL has offered training and personal development opportunities to approximately 3,000 young people from the age of 14-19. Many graduates go on to become facilitators at CYL or become more involved in their co-op sponsors, their communities or co-ops in general.

Ontario corn produces enough oxygen for the annual respiratory needs of the whole province.

Source: Grain Farmers of Ontario

Amy VanStraaten
Gads Hill, Ontario

While the year may officially start on Jan 1st, it doesn’t always feel like it. A student’s year begins in September and ends in April, May or June (depending on how old they are). An accountant’s year is measured by the fiscal, rather than the calendar year. And a farmer’s, or gardener’s, year begins in the spring, whenever that may come.

Spring is a time of new beginnings, growth and optimism. The snow gives way to muck, and then rain upon rain upon rain (this year for sure!). The days the sun pokes its head through the clouds are happy ones. Gone are the cold crisp mornings of winter. The sun rises earlier and stays out later. The grass is the first to change. Suddenly pastures are green, and lawns come to life. Slowly you notice trees begin to bud, and tulips poke out of the ground.

Invariably, on the farm, spring is a stressful time. Will the land be dry enough to get the manure hauled out? Will you get the corn planted in time? Will your winter wheat have survived the winter? Will you have selected the right varieties of corn and soys? Will this be the year you should have bought crop insurance?

Our life revolves on the farm work. We rush around to get the fields worked, get the manure on, and get the seed in the ground JUST in time for the first cut of hay. And then it’s time to spray corn. Before you know it the wheat is coming off. Then the straw. And second cut. And so on, for the rest of the summer.

In the busy springtime it is easy for things to fall by the wayside. The house gets messy, the fridge goes empty. And sometimes, more important things are forgotten. The vegetable garden doesn’t get worked up when it should, so the potatoes go unplanted. The seeds we so carefully started in pots in the house are forgotten. And until my mom comes and points it out, I honestly forget all about that clothesline the ice storm knocked down.

Forgive me for missing your birthday, your buck and doe, my own field hockey games and Jeff’s soccer games. I was busy, and tired, and probably working.

Summer on the farm is always busy. We’re always running here and there, and there are late nights and early mornings. Friends are voluntold to pick stones, do little square bales, and drive wagons to and from the fields. Maybe we just need someone to milk for us so we can keep working in the fields, or we need our mechanic friends to come fix something at 9:30 on a Friday night . . . Well, maybe that just means I am blessed with good friends, willing to work hard all day in the sun for just some drinks and a good supper. (I have been known to be a pretty good cook.)

After doing little square bales all day and finally being done, our roommate said she had three loads to do for her horses before she would be home. Without a thought, Jeff and I, along with our roommate, headed over to the horse barn to do three more loads. When you’ve been at it all day, three loads is nothing. Her family was so thankful for the help. It was worth the extra sweat, scratches, and soreness.

At the end of a long day, sitting on the porch, in the straw mow, or on a tailgate is the epitome of relief. We are all dirty, tired, sore and sunburnt, but there are smiles all around. The day’s work is done. Sure there is more tomorrow and the next day, but today is done. Your bed is calling your name, but not as much as a warm shower and a hot meal. You have accomplished something today, and it’s easy to see the progress. The field is planted. The bunker silo is full of haylage. The bales are all brought home and nicely stacked away.

For me, that’s what spring is about – the optimism that this will be a good year. That the sun will shine when it needs to, the rain will fall when we need it, the crops will do well, and the work will get done. It’s easy to be hopeful in the spring. The whole year lies before you, and anything could happen. There will always be problems, drought, flooding, and breakdowns. But in the spring, you can hope that it will go well.You can hope that this year will be better than the last.

You will do your best each long, hard day. You will get up early and do everything in your power to get the job done. Your friends will come help when you need them, your family will always be there, and the sun will keep on rising and setting day after day.

Maintaining and fostering Canadian ag’s bright future takes a collective effort to educate and engage people both in and out of the industry. It’s no small task, but Ag for Life is tackling it head on.

Out of Alberta, Ag for Life is a group of corporations, not-for-profits, farmers, ranchers and community leaders working together to spread the love of ag throughout the province. “We deliver educational programming that improves farm safety and also builds an understanding and appreciation for the value ag has in every one of our lives.” says Ag for Life CEO, David Sprague.

Their programs also aim to shrink the rural-urban knowledge gap and create a strong, sustainable ag sector. By offering specific programs that target youth and adults, as well as urban and rural people, they are reaching a wide cross section of Albertans with a positive ag message. It’s a goal that’s also close to our hearts and we’re happy that they’re an Ag More Than Ever partner. It’s exciting to see the great things that happen when people in ag come together to promote the industry we all love.

For more information, watch the video below and visit agricultureforlife.ca.

If you’re interested in becoming an Ag More Than Ever partner, visit our Partners page.

Source: Environment Canada

Download our fourth Fact PDF

Canada is a net exporter of dairy animal genetics (embryos, semen and live cattle). Exports to over 100 different countries worldwide in 2011 totalled $121.5 million. Live breeding cattle were primarily exported to Russia, and Canada was successful in gaining new European markets in Germany and France in 2011.

Source: Canadian Dairy Information Centre

Download our fourth Fact PDF