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Agriculture Roundup for Thursday June 30, 2022

Jun 30, 2022 | 2:00 PM

MELFORT, Sask. – The group that comprised the first Canadian Agricultural Youth Council had its final, virtual meeting.

Twenty-one young Canadians aged 30-and-under represented a diverse mix of individuals from agriculture and agri-food sectors, as well as from every province and the North.

Council members met regularly to provide advice on food-related challenges and opportunities, as well as to share information. The Council’s mandate included promoting agricultural career development, awareness and education, and climate change mitigation.

Part of their mandate included providing input on their vision for the Next Agricultural Policy Framework. The Framework will set the course for the sector past 2028.

An announcement on the 15 successful applicants to the second cohort of the Council is expected in the coming weeks. The council will be made up of new people as well as some returning members.

The agricultural plant science industry recognized Barry Friesen for his long-standing dedication and commitment to agricultural stewardship.

The Cleanfarms executive director has been helping farmers across Canada manage farm plastic materials when they are no longer needed.

The agricultural stewardship program is like the blue box for household recyclables except it’s for farmers to recycle various types of plastics such as empty pesticide and fertilizer containers, bale wrap, silage tarps, grain bags, and baler twine.

CropLife Canada presented the Cam Davreux Stewardship Award to Friesen at an awards ceremony in Ottawa.

President and CEO Pierre Petelle said Friesen’s work began when he took on the role of leading Cleanfarms more than a decade ago when CropLife separated its empty pesticide container recycling and obsolete pesticide collection initiatives into a stand-alone stewardship organization.

“Barry has been relentless in his efforts to increase participation in ag recycling programs and to help Canadian agriculture become more sustainable as it works towards a zero-plastic-waste strategy,” Petelle said. “He has taken ag recycling to new heights by expanding collection to include other agricultural waste products such as grain bags, totes, twine, and bale wrap.

Friesen’s career in the public and private sector have focused on establishing and improving the recovery and diversion of packaging, paper, and resource materials for recycling.

alice.mcfarlane@pattisonmedia.com

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