2008 CYSA Competition Winners

Speakers from Alberta and Ontario took top prizes in this year’s Canadian Young Speakers for Agriculture (CYSA) competition, held at the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair.

Among 26 competitors from seven provinces, Kayla Getzinger of Stony Plain, Alberta, won the senior category, with Sam Kloppenburg of Arva, Ontario, capturing the junior award.

Getzinger spoke on Agriculture Around the World: Where Does Canada Stand? Getzinger is a third-year science student at the University of Alberta, a member of her local 4-H Beef Club, and a winner of her provincial public speaking competition. “We know that piles of gold are not as good as stores of grain, thus Canada should continue to invest and build on its agricultural industry, yet we also understand that this will not come without its costs,” Getzinger said in her speech. “But if the sacrifices we make are small in comparison to the benefit of the larger picture – then there is no doubt that Canadian Agriculture will continue to strive.”

Kayla Getzinger
2008 CYSA National Senior Champion

Junior champion Kloppenburg, 13, chose Food, Fuels & More: Exploring the Future of Agriculture for his topic. In his speech he noted that “in one year, scientists think an acre of algae will be able to produce 10 times more biodiesel than an acre of soybeans. Is it possible that one day, I could be an algae farmer?”

Sam Kloppenburg
2008 CYSA National Junior Champion

For their victories, Getzinger and Kloppenburg both received a cash prize, a framed print from John Deere Limited, and will have their names engraved on CYSA plaques.

First senior runner-up was Robert Godfrey of Cornwall, PEI, followed by second runner-up Stewart Skinner of Listowel, Ontario. The other senior finalists were Vanessa Klages of Mildmay, Ontario; Colleen O’Shea of Granton, Ontario; and Avery Simundsson of Arborg, Manitoba. Each finalist received a cash award and a motivational book from the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs.

In the junior competition, the first runner-up was Athira Abraham of Scarborough, Ontario, followed by Vanessa Crowley from Hastings, Ontario. They each received a cash award and an educational book.

Judges for this year’s senior competition were Kirk Finken, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada; Rob Hannam, Issues and Insights; Victoria Kendall, Syngenta Crop Protection; Robert LeBlond, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada; Scott Matthews, Cargill Meat Solutions; Kyle Maw, Farm Credit Canada; Sue McLarty, Ontario Farm Animal Council; Julia Whelan, 4-H Ontario; and Lorna Wilson, Ontario Agri-Food Education.

Junior competition judges were Alison Besley, AgCareers.com; Andrea deGroot, Farm Credit Canada; and teacher Amy Quinn.

This year’s sponsors were the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair, 4-H Ontario, AgCareers.com, Aumell Agri Consulting, Canadian Federation of Agriculture, Canadian Young Farmers Forum, City of Guelph, Farm Credit Canada, GayLea Food Co-Operative Limited, Hampton Inn & Suites, John Deere Limited, Gordon P. Maxwell, Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, Potato Growers of Alberta, Royal Bank of Canada, and Syngenta Crop Protection Canada Inc. Numerous other sponsors participated at the provincial and regional levels to help defray travel costs for out-of-province participants.