Applicants and mentors called upon to get involved in Young Agrarians

Posted on October 22, 2026 by admin

By Anna Smith
Southern Alberta Newspapers
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Young Agrarians, a program that helps new farmers develop the skills, knowledge and confidence needed to manage farm businesses, is currently seeking both applicants and mentors.

Farmers in their first one to 10 years in business, be it a new business or someone taking over the family farm, are encouraged to apply to receive 30 hours of one-on-one mentorship from an experienced producer, as well as a series of online lessons including handling cash flow, record keeping, risk management and insurance and other agriculture-specific business topics.

“Having a mentor has helped us think more strategically about infrastructure, crop planning and long-term business sustainability,” said mentees John Morton and Telia Hsieh. “The reassurance of experienced farmers in the community has also helped build our confidence.”

Put on by the Business Mentorship Network, the program looks to help these new farmers keep businesses sustainable for the long term and ensure the industry remains strong.

It is also seeking experienced farmers willing to offer expertise as a mentor, which is a paid position. Thus far, the program has seen 240 farmer mentees on 164 farms, with100 mentors from seven provinces.

Those interested are encouraged to visit youngagrarians.org for further information or to apply. Applications for the current cohort close Oct. 31.