The Rural Voice, 1982-02, Page 24THE YOUNG FARMER
" Our Heritage Our Future"
The young people at the Rural
Youth Conference are optimistic about their future
by Bev Brown
"Rural Youth: Our Heritage. Our
Future" was the theme of the first
Canadian National Rural Youth Con-
ference in Ottawa in December. Eighty
delegates representing all ten provinces
met for four days of discussion, planning
and fellowship. The planning committee
for the Conference had set four goals for
the Conference:
(1) To create a means for exchange of
ideas and concerns common to rural youth
in Canada.
(2) To encourage travel exchanges for
rural youth in all provinces.
(3) To establish communication between
rural youth organizations in all provinces.
(4) To eventually encourage the forma-
tion of a national rural youth committee
with representation from across the nation
to deal with national and international
programs relating to Canadian rural
youth.
Wingham area agri-businessman Bill
Armstrong, who is president of Zone 7
(Huron, Perth, Bruce and Grey counties)
within the Junior Farmers' Association of
Ontario, was on the planning committee
for the conference. He told Rural Voice:
"At least two delegates from each
province said they would sit on the
National Rural Youth Committee in the
future. The existing Junior Farmer
Committee will meet in January to assess
the conference and take a look at potential
changes or additions."
Armstrong points out that any person
between the ages of 18 and 30 years can
join the Junior Farmers' Association of
Ontario. Only 20 per cent of the 9,000
members in Ontario are directly related to
farming.
How do these young agri-business
people feel about the present state of the
economy? Armstrong says. "Most Junior
Farmers appear to be very optimistic
about their futures. Most delegates to the
conference have advanced education and
they intend to make the best possible use
of their present resources. Quebec,
Alberta and even Newfoundland have
special programs to give financial
assistance to young farmers to help them
get started."
CONFERENCE DELEGATES
Ontario Delegates to the National Rural Youth Conference from left: Kevin
Opersko, R.R. 3, Waterford: Joanne McFadden. R.R. 3. Gananoque; Grant
McMurchy. R.K. 2, Clarksburg; Marlene Boland, Emo; Joe Daunt. R.R. 1,
Listowel; Mary Moore, R.R. 4, Cambridge; Shirley Mullin, R. R. 1, Kenabeek; Rod
Stork. Ministry of Agriculture and Food, 234 King Street East, Bowmanville;
Cheryl McArthur, R.R. 1, Stayner; Larry Sheardown, R.R. 1, Schomberg.
The highlight of the conference
program was the banquet featuring
Governor-General Edward Schreyer as
guest speaker.
Grant McMurchy, from Clarksburg,
who was a conference delegate says that
most of the speakers put heavy emphasis
on the need for national unity. "But as far
as the delegates were concerned, there
were no borders between the provinces
and there was no unity problem as
everyone got along so well," he says.
"The delegates wondered if maybe the
unity problem exists only in the House of
Commons ana no where else."
PG. 22 THE RURAL VOICE/FEBRUARY 1982
Another aelegate , Joe Daunt from
Molesworth, was impressed by the fact
that the conference received so much
financial support from agri-businesses
and organizations who are interested in
the young people of Canada. "The Youth
Secretariat paid all travel expenses for
delegates who are either full time students
or under 21 years of age," Daunt says.
"Also, the Governor-General gave strong
support for a future organization of
national junior farmers and indicated that
this support would be financial as well as
moral. He urged each province to develop
a strong junior farmer organization."