GUELPH, Ontario – Do you have a passion for the agriculture industry? Are you between the ages of 11 and 24 and looking for an opportunity to share your enthusiasm with others? If you answered yes, don’t miss out on the 25th Annual Canadian Young Speakers for Agriculture (CYSA) public speaking competition!

Each year as part of the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair in Toronto, Ontario, young men and women from across Canada gather for the CYSA competition to express their ideas and share views on Canadian agriculture. The CYSA competition has two divisions, Senior and Junior. The Senior division is open to young men and women who are between the ages of 16 and 24, and the Junior division is open to ages 11 to 15.

Participants must prepare and present a five‐ to seven‐minute speech in either English or French on one of the five topics given. This year’s competition will be held on Saturday November 7, 2009, at the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair. Finalists in both divisions will receive cash prizes, with the senior champion receiving $1000 and the Junior champion receiving $500.

• Behind the scenes: The unsung heroes of Canadian agriculture
• Changes I would make as the Federal Minister of Agriculture for a day
• How Canadian agriculture is being affected by the global economic downturn
• Why I want to make my career in agriculture
• Farming the future: Taking agriculture into the 21st century

CELEBRATING 25 YEARS!
The CYSA is celebrating 25 years of organizing and facilitating the “Canadian Young Speakers for Agriculture” competition. Since the first competition was held at the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair in honour of International Youth Year in 1985, the competition has incorporated a fully bilingual and national focus, and has seen continued year‐over‐year development and growth. Currently with both a junior and senior competition, and with new support from an academic perspective, CYSA is poised for continued success as a premier youth public speaking competition, and as a leader in Canadian agricultural communications. The anniversary celebration will be incorporated into the 2009 competition weekend. Please check the website soon for more information to be sure you don’t miss this special event!

If you are between the ages of 11 and 24, don’t pass up this opportunity to communicate your passion! Applications can be found on‐line at www.cysa‐joca.ca. Inquiries and other application requests should be directed to Ted Young, Chair ‐ at 519‐824‐9253 or tedyoung@cysa‐joca.ca

Applications can be completed online or forwarded to CYSA Inc, P.O. Box 25015, Stone Road Mall Postal Outlet, 370 Stone Road West, Unit 17, Guelph, Ontario N1G 2X0.