The Junior Stars Leadership Conference was held February 23-24 in Guelph, Ont., with the Canadian Junior Shorthorn Association and the Canadian Junior Limousin Association. Day One included tours of the University of Guelph Dairy and Beef Research Centres in Elora as well as the precision feed facility. The group then moved to the University of Guelph for a campus tour, led by students, including the on-campus abattoir (known as the “Meat Lab”). The group then visited Farm Credit Canada and Tall Oaks Capital Advisors to learn about farm succession planning and ended the day with an escape room.
On the second day, juniors visited Semex, where they saw some of the bulls in the company’s lineup. Brad Gilchrist unpacked EPDs and Samantha Kennedy discussed social media marketing and how she moved into her current role at Semex. Dr. Rex Crawford then spoke about overall herd health and vaccinating the cow herd. Finally, Jaclyn Horenberg of Beef Farmers of Ontario spoke about opportunities for youth within the beef industry and how to get involved with industry groups, and networking.
We look forward to seeing everyone next year at the Junior Stars Leadership Conference in Nova Scotia!
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