CYL Development Program Announces Recipients And New Foundation Partner

Calgary, AB – The Cattlemen’s Young Leaders (CYL) Development Program is pleased to announce the six Alberta recipients selected to participate in the pilot phase of the mentorship initiative.

The CYL program is a national youth initiative announced by the Canadian Cattlemen’s Association (CCA) in July. The CYL program provides industry-specific training and mentorship opportunities to producers between the ages of 18 and 35. CYL participants will have the opportunity to explore a potential career choice or involvement with a provincial/national producer organization, while gaining the expertise and business acumen necessary to sustain the cattle industry into the future.

As the inaugural members of the CYL Program, participants in the Alberta pilot will provide valuable feedback to ensure a successful national roll out of the program in early 2011.

Interest in the CYL Program was high and we thank all those who submitted applications.

The six selected CYL mentorship recipients are:

Professional Mentorship category:

— Cody Schooten: a feedlot operator from Diamond City, AB. Schooten has selected an area of interest in beef marketing.

— Rosie Templeton: a student at the University of Alberta and a purebred cow-calf operator with her family in Coaldale, AB. Templeton’s area of interest is in agriculture communications.

— Samantha Sperber: a student at the University of Alberta and a cow-calf operator with her family near Rimbey Alberta. Sperber’s area of interest is in seedstock production.

Industry Leader Mentorship:

— Keith Ypma: a feedlot operator from Taber, AB. Ypma’s selected area of interest is in Domestic Agriculture and Foreign Trade.

— Nanita Blomquist: a commercial cow-calf producer in Big Valley, AB and the Alberta Field Manager for the Canadian Cattle Identification Agency (CCIA). Her area of interest is in Beef Marketing

— Ricki Fleming: a senior herd manager for the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) Animal Disease Research Institute in southern Alberta and also actively ranches a purebred operation with her family in Granum, AB. Ricki has selected Animal Health as her area of interest.

Funding for the CYL Program is made available through our Foundation Partners. The Alberta Livestock and Meat Agency (ALMA) has provided $198,900 over three years.

Our latest foundation partner is Cargill. In addition to offering mentorships to interested applicants, Cargill is providing financial support of $70,000 over the next three years that will take the program national. The funding is being provided through the Cargill Cares program and five business units including Cargill Meat Solutions High River, Cargill Meat Solutions Guelph, Cargill Animal Nutrition, Cargill Value Added Meats and AgriBrands Purina Canada Inc.

Two of the six CYL mentorship recipients are Summer Synergy Scholarship finalists, and were selected in partnership with Summer Synergy, a collaborative venture of the Olds Agricultural Society and the Calgary Stampede to showcase youth in agriculture.

For general inquiries about the program visit www.cattlemensyoungleaders.com

For information about participating as a candidate or mentor, please contact Jill Harvie at harviej@cattle.ca or 403-275-8558.

Source : Canadian Cattlemen’s Association