The 2012 Canadian Young Speakers for Agriculture

It’s your time to shine

The 2012 Canadian Young Speakers for Agriculture competition invites youth between 11 and 24 years of age to stand up, speak up and earn recognition. Join us. The application deadline is September 30, 2012.

What’s the clearest sign that the future of Canadian agriculture is bright? It’s the enthusiasm and passion of young Canadians growing up on a farm, or who simply care 
about where their food comes from.

To be sure, the industry faces its share of challenges. With a new generation of Canadians rising to meet them, however, there’s every reason to feel confident about the future.

The 28th annual Canadian Young Speakers for Agriculture (CYSA) competition is the place where the industry’s brightest young minds come to grips with the issues that matter.

Sponsored by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada and the Canadian 4-H Council, the 2012 CYSA competition takes place on Saturday, November 3, 2012 at the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair in Toronto, Ontario.

To participate, contestants prepare a five- to seven-minute speech, in either English or French, on one of five agriculture-related topics. For the 2012 competition, the topics are:

• does supply management belong in Canadian agriculture?
• a national food policy: challenges and opportunities for Canada
• the main things people need to know about farming today are …

• here are farmers’ biggest opportunities
• the importance of water for agriculture and globalization.

For the contestants, CYSA is an opportunity to sharpen their speech-writing and public speaking skills, and meet like-minded Canadians from coast to coast. Prizes are available for two age groups: Junior (11 to 15) and Senior (16 to 24).

All Canadians between the ages of 11 and 24 are eligible to enter.

The application deadline for the 28th annual Canadian Young Speakers for Agriculture competition is September 30, 2012. For competition rules, accommodation assistance, competition rules, and to register, please visit www.cysa-joca.ca