March 2010 Edition
By Geoff Dale
March 01, 2010
ACC offers training opportunities for new, beginning, young and experienced farmers
“Lifelong learning is anything you do to develop your knowledge or skills. This means anything from getting a formal degree, diploma or certificate to taking an individual course, attending a seminar or conference or calling your mentor,” says Jack Moes, Dean of Agriculture & Environment at Assiniboine Community College (ACC) in Brandon, MB.
ACC’s Agriculture Studies program offers anywhere, anytime agricultural training for off-campus students. Students learn at home (or at work) at their own pace from course packages and resource materials delivered to their door. They decide when and where they want to study. Support by telephone, internet and full access to ACC’s library connects them to the “classroom”. There is also the option of face-to-face delivery in the community if a minimum of 8 students are willing to commit to approximately three days of classroom training.
For more information online go to http://www.gov.mb.ca/agriculture/financial/youngfarmers/acc.html.
NFU youth panel success
One of the key national organizations working in support of new farmers is the National Farmers Union. In November 2009 the NFU youth panel and campaign launch at the national convention was well attended, with support from within and beyond the NFU membership and board.
The NFY Youth Campaign for New Farmers is a broad-based national campaign designed to create awareness around the alarming decrease in Canada’s farm population, particularly those under the age of 35, and the consequences this decrease has on all aspects of society.
It is structured to include three main areas – media and communications, educational programming and policy analysis and development. In addition to giving an overview of the campaign objectives, panelists discussed what were identified as two of the main issues concerning young farmers today – farmer training and farm transitions.
From March 4-7, 2010 the annual NFU youth workshop and training will bring together NFY youth members and associate members from each of the six regions across Canada in Tatamagouche, Nova Scotia for a weekend of planning, discussion and learning in order to strengthen and better define the role of the NFU Youth in Canada’s food and farming systems, to learn from local members about farm initiatives and practices and to develop concrete plans regionally and nationally for the NFU Youth in 2010, with a focus on advancing the campaign for new farmers.
Atlantic Young Breeders School
Enthusiastic young dairy adults looking for hands-on experience learning about marketing, milk production, understanding pedigrees, nutrition and reproduction methods, cow evaluation, sire selection, professional advice for purchasing and consigning animals in or at sale and managing a healthy environment for cows – mark March 26-28, 2010 on your calendars.
Those are the dates for the Atlantic Young Breeders School at the Rodd Royalty Inn in Charlottetown, PEI.
There will also be three farm tours in central PEI where you can apply the knowledge you have learned in the workshops. The AYB Committee is accepting a maximum of 24-28 participants and priority will be given to new participants. The cost is $200 per person.
For more information contact: Fred VanderKloet at 902-368-5609 or 902-314-0824. Email fsvanderkloet@gov.pe.ca or visit www.facebook.com/pages/Charlottetown-PE/Atlantic-Young-Breeders-School/194380033481
