Nothing is more inspiring than watching our Canadian Cattle Young Leaders (CYL) thrive beyond our youth programs. Past CYLs Daniel Doerksen and Erika Stewart have recently earned recognition as the Alberta and Saskatchewan Outstanding Young Farmers Nominees, respectively.
Canada’s Outstanding Young Farmers’ program is an annual competition to recognize farmers that exemplify excellence in their profession and promote the tremendous contribution of agriculture. Open to participants 18 to 39 years of age, making the majority of income from on-farm sources, participants are selected from seven regions across Canada, with two national winners chosen each year.
Daniel completed the Canadian CYL Program in 2016 after his nine-month mentorship with Mike McMorris. Daniel and his brothers Berry and Lorin are fourth generation farmers working alongside their father, Arno (2023 Mentor), and Uncle, Tim on their Purebred and commercial cow-calf operation near Gem, Alta. The group grows a variety of cash crops and forages and have their own Grass finishing program branded ‘Gemstone Grass Fed Beef’ which was started in 2018. Read more about Daniel and his brothers and their journey to becoming Alberta’s 2024 Outstanding Young Farmers here: Alta. brothers win Outstanding Young Farmers | The Western Producer
Erika is a 2013 graduate of the Canadian CYL Program with Erika Fossen as her mentor. Upon graduating the program, she went on to become the very first Canadian Cattle Youth Council president in 2013 when the council was formed. Erika and her husband Cyle own and operate Pine Ranch, a cow-calf and yearling operation in Morse, SK. Erika also works as the Verified Beef Production Plus Coordinator for Saskatchewan. Read more about Erika and Cyle’s operation here: Ranchers named Sask. OYF winners for 2024 | The Western Producer
The Canadian CYL Program plays a pivotal role in nurturing the next generation of agricultural leaders, and the success of its alumni is a testament to its impact. Their achievements not only highlight individual talent but also reflect the broader influence of CYL in shaping a vibrant future for the cattle industry in Canada. We are proud of our CYL alumni and wish them the best of luck at the national Outstanding Young Farmers event November 27-December 1, 2024.
Do you know someone who should be next year’s Outstanding Young Farmers? Nominate them today!
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