Young Canadians are the future of the agriculture and agri-food sector, and it is important to give them a voice at the table. Today, the Honourable Marie-Claude Bibeau, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, unveiled the names of the members who will form the second cohort of the Canadian Agricultural Youth Council (CAYC). The inaugural meeting of this new group of 25 young people will be held later this summer. The members of this cohort will serve 18-month terms.
Young farmers are committed, energetic, passionate and full of ideas on the future of the agriculture and agri-food sector. To build on these strengths, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada has given the Council the mandate to make recommendations and help find solutions to issues facing young people in the agricultural sector.
The renewed Council will see 15 new faces joining the ten returning members serving a second term. Together, this second cohort of the Youth Council represents subsectors from across the agriculture and agri-food value chain.
The Council's main task is to ensure that the perspectives of youth in agriculture are well understood, and to help inform on policy, programs, planning and decision-making. The views of Canadian young people are vital in developing government policy and programs that meet the needs of future generations.
