Governments of Canada and Saskatchewan Continue Support for the Next Gen Agriculture Mentorship Program

Released on November 22, 2021

The Governments of Canada and Saskatchewan are pleased to announce applications for the Next Gen Agriculture Mentorship Program (Next Gen) are now being accepted. Next Gen is delivered by Canadian Western Agribition (CWA).

“Investing in the next generation of agricultural producers is critical to helping the Canadian industry grow and thrive,” said Marie-Claude Bibeau, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada. “The connections these young people make will help them gain knowledge they can apply to their operations and become industry leaders of tomorrow."

"Ensuring security in the sector and contributing to economic growth is best achieved by mentoring future leaders," Agriculture Minister David Marit said. "This program builds leadership capacity through knowledge and first-hand experiences, which is critical to a strong agriculture industry in Saskatchewan. Our government is proud to support such an important initiative."

The program develops young leaders and prepares them to take on active roles in industry leadership, governance and efforts to build public trust through the pairing of each successful applicant with an established member of the agriculture industry.  

The federal and provincial governments will provide $100,000 to support this round of mentees as they continue their leadership journey in the agriculture sector. 

"Agribition is honoured to help pave the way for the next generation of leaders in agriculture," CWA President Chris Lees said. "Over the past few years we've seen valuable connections made between mentees and mentors through this outstanding program."  

This year, eight applicants will be selected and paired with a mentor for an 18-month mentorship experience beginning in February 2022. Applicants should have clear developmental goals and exhibit strong leadership potential. More information about the program is available online at saskatchewan.ca/CAP or agribition.com/get-involved/next-gen-program.

Next Gen is funded through the Canadian Agricultural Partnership, a five-year, $3 billion investment by federal, provincial and territorial governments to strengthen and grow Canada's agriculture, agri-food and agri-products sectors. This commitment includes $2 billion for programs cost-shared on a 60/40 basis by the federal and provincial/territorial governments that are designed and delivered by provinces and territories.

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