Original published by Advancing Ag HereJordyn Prior announced as winner of AdvancingAg Essay Contest

(Calgary, Alberta) November 14, 2019 – The Alberta Wheat and Barley Commissions would like to congratulate Jordyn Prior of Irma, AB, who has won the third-annual AdvancingAg Future Leaders Program essay contest.

“I am ecstatic to have won the Advancing Ag Essay Contest,” said Prior, who works as an Economic Developer for Flagstaff County. “I can’t wait to share my passion with other industry leaders at the Prairie Cereals Summit.”

The theme of this year’s essay contest was “The Future of Agriculture” – specifically related to the cropping sector. The contest was open to all Class of 2020 participants in the AdvancingAg Future Leaders Program.

Prior’s winning entry focused on preserving social licence in the agriculture industry. It dove into the importance of sharing your story and “agvocating.” It also gave examples of farmers who are doing a great job of using social media to advocate for their industry.

“I believe now more than ever, as technology becomes more dominant, that there is a need for farmers to be sharing their stories confidently and authentically online,” Prior explained. “Social media is a powerful tool that can be used to create positive conversations, if we use it correctly. It not only allows consumers to get their info straight from the source, but it also increases the sustainability of the social license in agriculture.”

The second-place finisher was Roddy Campbell who submitted an entry that examined the gap between farmers and urban dwellers. Candy Roberts and David Pinzon tied for third prize with their essays on planning for the business of the family farm and public trust, respectively.

“I am very proud of all the participants in the essay contest,” added David Bishop , chair of the Alberta Barley Commission and a member of the AdvancingAg Selection Committee. “It is always inspiring to see future agriculture leaders weigh in on the pressing issues we face today as a cropping industry.”

As winner of the contest, Prior will present her essay to attendees at the upcoming Prairie Cereal Summit in Banff on Thursday, Dec. 12, 2019. To learn more about the AdvancingAg Future Leaders Program and how to apply as a mentor or mentee, visit www.advancingag.ca.

For more information, contact:
Cole Christensen
Administrator, AdvancingAg
P: 403-589-3529
E: info@advancingag.ca

To read Jordyn’s winning submission, click here

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