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By Alice McFarlane

Agriculture Roundup

Agriculture Roundup for Tuesday, February 28, 2023

Feb 28, 2023 | 10:38 AM

MELFORT, Sask. – Funding is now available for employers hiring youth in the ag sector.

The $13 million from the Youth Employment and Skills Program (YESP) will support roughly 1,200 jobs.

Minister for Women and Gender Equality and Youth Marci Ien said YESP will make sure everyone, regardless of their identity has a fair chance at success in many in-demand sectors, including the ever-growing agriculture sector.

“By giving young people, particularly those facing systemic barriers to employment due to their gender, race, socioeconomic status, sexual orientation, disability or other intersecting identities, the opportunity to gain valuable work experience, we are breaking down barriers and creating endless potential for what they can achieve tomorrow,” Ien said.

The program offers support for 50 per cent of wages to a maximum of $14,000 to agriculture employers hiring youth.

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Employers that hire youth facing employment barriers will be eligible for 80 per cent of the cost of salaries and benefits and may be eligible for an additional $5,000 to address specific obstacles to employment.

Applications are open until March 7 for their project to be considered.

Under the program, applications from Indigenous applicants will be prioritized for the 2023-24 program year.

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The Beef Cattle Research Council (BCRC) is celebrating 25 years as Canada’s national industry-led funding agency for beef, cattle, and forage research.

A new video has been released to acknowledge the milestone and features some of the key individuals of the BCRC’s past to present.

Rob McNabb was BCRC manager from 1998-2006. He said industry input was important to the initial development of the BCRC.

“The story of BCRC is one of evolution,” McNabb said. “We started with some very small projects. We were a minor player in the funding game. Governments and research institutions were beginning to recognize the industry needed to be at the table for funding decisions.”

Producer councils representing provincial cattle organizations from across the country make funding decisions.

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The Canadian Agri-Food Trade Alliance has hired a new interim executive director.

Adam Taylor is the president and co-founder of the Ottawa-based trade consulting firm Export Action Global, and was a senior advisor to federal cabinet ministers during negotiations on the Canada-EU trade deal, the original Trans-Pacific Partnership.

He’s filling the role left vacant by Claire Citeau who had been CAFTA’s executive director since 2014.

CAFTA will soon begin the search for a permanent executive director.

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alice.mcfarlane@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @farmnewsNOW