FALL & WINTER <strong><strong>20</strong>19</strong>/<strong>20</strong> 4-H UFA AND 4-H ALBERTA BUILDING FUTURE LEADERS TOGETHER 4-H <strong>Alberta</strong> and United Farmers of <strong>Alberta</strong> Ltd. (UFA) have a long history together spanning over 80 years and this year alone, UFA is proud to have funded over <strong>20</strong>0 clubs in the province. “4-H members learn leadership skills that set them up for success for the remainder of their lives,” says Kimberly MacDonald, UFA’s Community Investment Manager. “We believe strongly in providing opportunities for youth development and our partnership with 4-H allows us to support future generations of agricultural leaders.” Leaders like Emmett Sawyer. Sawyer first caught the public’s attention when he was 13-years-old and published a 4-H speech on YouTube. The speech was about building consumer trust by being open and transparent about how farmers grow and raise the food we buy. At just 16-years-old, he was named the Canadian Seed Trade Association Future Influencer at the <strong>20</strong>16 Grow Canada Conference. Sawyer’s passion for agriculture began at a young age, having grown up on the family farm west of Acme. His involvement in 4-H began ten years ago as a member of the Swalwell 4-H Club. Up until April when his term ended, Sawyer was the 4-H <strong>Alberta</strong> Ambassador for the Calgary Region, acting as a resource for clubs. He is thankful for the 4-H program because he says there are many benefits. “Other than team building and learning new communication skills, there are also educational scholarships to be won as well, so it’s a program with endless opportunities and I wouldn’t trade my experience with 4-H for the world,” said Sawyer. 4-H MEMBERS LEARN LEADERSHIP SKILLS THAT SET THEM UP FOR SUCCESS FOR THE REMAINDER OF THEIR LIVES Sawyer was also recently awarded the 4-H Canada L.E.A.D. Scholarship Award. The scholarship consists of $<strong>20</strong>,000, awarded $5,000 per University year for up to four years, and the opportunity to receive guidance from a mentor in the recipient’s field through their education journey. Sawyer is currently pursuing his Bachelor of Arts in Agriculture Enterprise Management at the University of Lethbridge. “I’m very passionate about food security and making sure we produce the safest and most environmentally-friendly food that we possibly can,” he said. He is also very interested in the policy behind agriculture, “how the government makes decisions to make sure that agriculture is on track and protecting the environment while moving the industry forward in a safe way, whether with chemicals used or seed varieties.” Sawyer is also very passionate about UFA. In fact, not only is he a member but he’s also working for the summer at the Strathmore UFA Farm & Ranch Supply store. He says his future goals include working for an agriculture co-operative or a corporate agriculture company, and possibly farming. For now, he appreciates the support that UFA has given him, not only through the sponsorship of 4-H <strong>Alberta</strong> but also for being given the opportunity to broaden his skill set by working in an agricultural co-operative setting. “I have always appreciated the support from UFA, not only for sponsoring my 4-H club and projects and now for employing me, but also for being trusted advisors and suppliers at our family farm. It’s because of organizations like UFA that I’m able to pursue my dreams.” In his short 19 years, Sawyer has become a powerful representative for 4-H, for UFA and for all young leaders in agriculture. Whether it’s supporting a local club’s riding clinic or helping to fund a new pair of shearing scissors, UFA is proud to sponsor 4-H <strong>Alberta</strong> and to give back to local communities where our members live and work. • 22
4-H <strong>Alberta</strong> Provincial & Regional 4-H ALBERTA MAGAZINE // 4H.AB.CA y • • y GUIDE <strong><strong>20</strong>19</strong>-<strong>20</strong><strong>20</strong> 4-H CLUB YEAR 23
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