Cattlemen’s Young Leaders (CYL) Mentorship Program Announces 2020 Finalists

The Cattlemen’s Young Leaders (CYL) Mentorship Program, a national youth initiative of the Canadian Cattlemen’s Association (CCA), is pleased to announce the 16 finalists for the 2020-2021 program year

by Canadian Cattleman’s Association (CCA)

The final selection took place through a virtual event held on August 10, 2020, where 24 semi-finalists from across Canada competed for a spot in the CYL program through judged roundtable discussions. The finalists will be awarded a $2,000 travel budget and be paired with a hand-picked industry leader for a nine-month mentorship in their specific area of interest.

Through the virtual selections event, the semi-finalists participated in roundtable discussions by breaking off into smaller virtual meetings each facilitated and judged by CYL Foundation Partners, Cargill, McDonald’s Canada and MNP, and Gold Sponsors, Farm Credit Canada and New Holland. They participated in thought provoking discussions about timely topics in the beef industry such as the COVID-19 pandemic, sustainability, adopting precision agriculture technology, financial and operational metrics, increasing beef consumption, and more. Congratulations to all the semi-finalists who attended the virtual selections and did a tremendous job showcasing their knowledge and passion for the Canadian beef industry. The CYL Program is also grateful for the continuous support of Foundation Partner, Zoetis.

“We look forward to the additional opportunities this will provide CYLs to connect with like-minded young people from across Canada passionate about the success of the beef industry”

 

The 2020 finalists in no particular order are:

British Columbia: Andrea van Iterson (Westwold), and Laura Code (Vernon)

Alberta: Aydon Almberg (Czar), Iva Harberg (Hay Lakes), Claye Harsany (High River), Dave Slingerland (Coaldale), Mackenzie Argent (Cremona), Katie-Jo Stehr (Lethbridge) and Kaylee Chizawsky (Edmonton)

Saskatchewan: Scott Gerbrandt (Swift Current) and Matt Hildebrandt (Rosthern)

Manitoba: Sarah Jensen (Arborg) and Laura Plett (Stead)

Ontario: Charlene Yungblut (Thorold) and Grace Kuhl (Keady)

Prince Edward Island: Greg Stavert (Freetown)

The 2020-2021 program year will have a slightly different look as the 2020 finalists will be joining the 2019 CYL program participants whose time in the program has been extended by one year due to COVID-19. We look forward to the additional opportunities this will provide CYLs to connect with like-minded young people from across Canada passionate about the success of the beef industry.

This year also marks the 10-year anniversary of the CYL Program which has seen over 120 graduates since the program was founded in 2010. A special anniversary celebration was hosted at the virtual Canadian Beef Industry Conference on August 11, 2020.

The CYL Program is a national initiative of the Canadian Cattlemen’s Association which provides young people ages 18-35 with industry specific training and mentorship opportunities. Through networking, travel and mentorship, participants are equipped with the skills they need to further the success of the Canadian beef industry in the future.