Nova Scotia Young Farmers’ Forum
Most people would think 50 young farmers released in Ottawa for a 4 day conference would be a recipe for disaster, but the truth is quite the opposite. This past February, the Canadian Young Farmers Forum (CYFF) held their Annual General Meeting and Workshop for young farmers across Canada. The meeting consisted of a possible 4 delegates from each province in attendance; to have discussion, network and listen to various speakers within the agriculture industry.
CYFF is a national group that represents the voices of young farmers across the country. This year the organization marks its 10th year in existence throughout which CYFF has acted as an information source for policy makers and government on issues concerning the young farmers of Canada.
CYFF is not a lobbying group, and thus has gained a tremendous amount of respect from government and head officials. During the 2007 meeting, the group met with both the Federal Minister of Agriculture and the Federal Standing Committee on Agriculture for round table discussions on issues pertaining to the industry and more importantly issues most affecting young farmers across Canada.
The CYFF has also been asked for their input into all the APF II consultations and had representation at the Uruguay International Federation of Agriculture Young Farmers Committee meetings.
CYFF has been developed to foster and build skills in young farmers to become the next agriculture leaders in the country. This is accomplished through networking and the free exchange of ideas among the participants. The CYFF also provides workshops on topics and challenges that young farmers face in agriculture today. These include succession planning, financial planning, and many others. By introducing and discussing these issues, young farmers become more informed of ways to deal with and overcome these challenges to increase their success.
The roots of the CYFF are established at the provincial and local levels. Nova Scotia is currently building and developing a young farmers program affiliated with this national organization. The goal of this group would be much the same as that of the CYFF; to create an atmosphere that fosters and develops the next generation of agriculture leaders.
If you are a young individual, between the ages of 18-40 in Nova Scotia and would like to find out more about this group you can send a message to nsfawanda@eastlink.ca subject Nova Scotia Young Farmers with your contact information or contact Wanda by phone at (902) 893-2293.