Calgary (Rural Roots Canada) – The Calgary Stampede is known for showcasing rodeo talent and livestock exhibitions and this year, it was also a platform for young speakers passionate about agriculture.
The Alberta Young Speakers for Agriculture and Calgary Stampede hosted the Youth Agriculture Speaking Championship, bringing together young minds to voice their thoughts on agriculture and its future. Ultimately, two young speakers, Emma Cross from Camrose County, and Nora Johnson from Scandia, were crowned the winners in their respective competitions.
Cross, winner of the senior competition, delivered an insightful speech on bridging the knowledge gap between urban and rural communities. She put her unique spin on the age-old debate.
“My speech was about public trust in agriculture and how we can bridge the gap between urban and rural,” Emma explained. “I chose to reframe the knowledge gap as a gap in relationships and how we can create connections between those two groups.”
Her speech emphasized the importance of building trust and understanding between consumers and producers, highlighting her passion for beef cattle and food production in Canada.
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In the junior competition, Nora Johnson focused her speech on the priorities she would set if she were the federal Minister of Agriculture. One of the only competitors to tackle the topic, her top five priorities included agriculture training for skilled workers, putting agriculture education into school curriculums, and promoting the consumption of Canadian beef.
For Nora, the championship was an eye-opening experience that reinforced the importance of public speaking. “If you don’t know much about agriculture, it’s a great way to learn from people your own age and hear how passionate people are about it,” she noted. “I’m not sure what I’m going to do within the field of agriculture yet, but public speaking is such a useful skill. I plan to use what I’ve learned to help me in my future.”
Emma echoed Nora’s comments about the importance of this competition.
“It’s a great opportunity to get out there and build your experience with public speaking and talk about something you’re really passionate about,” she said. “I plan to use the skills I’ve learned to keep having those conversations and creating connections.”
Ahead of the event, Will Osler, president and chair of the Calgary Stampede board, spoke to the importance of this event and how well it fits within the spirit and mission of the Stampede.
“The Calgary Stampede is all about ag and has been since 1884,” Osler emphasized. “When we talk about showcasing agriculture, narrowing the gap between urban and rural and deepening these connections. what better place than this event, what better time than now, what better people than those in this room.”
With the championship win, both Emma and Nora received a cash prize and secured a spot at the Canadian Young Speakers for Agriculture Final, taking place on Saturday, November 4, 2024, in Toronto.
The winners in the Junior Division were:
1st Place: Nora Johnson
2nd Place: Pyper Stanley
3rd Place: Lexi Sande
3 Honorable Mentions:
Mini Habraken Ryley Glasier Taylor Janz
The winners in the Senior Division were:
1st Place: Emma Cross
2nd Place: Erick Yang
3rd Place: Nina Tian
3 Honorable Mentions:
Breanna Correia
Elizabeth Reitsema
Megan Schrijver
