November 12, 2024 – Calgary, Alberta – Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada

A new investment in 4-H Alberta will offer the province’s youth new opportunities to get into agriculture.

For more than 100 years, 4-H Alberta has been teaching the province’s youth valuable skills in agriculture and beyond, helping them learn hands-on skills, developing leadership and creating a sense of belonging. New support will help 4-H Alberta bridge the gap between urban and rural kids and develop safety and mental health programming.

Through Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership (Sustainable CAP) funding, the governments of Canada and Alberta are investing more than $731,000 over 5 years for 3 4-H Alberta programs. The Intro to 4-H program, the Agriculture Safety and Mental Health Workshop and the Senior Spring Symposium will benefit from the funding.

About the programs

• The Intro to 4-H program offers experience-based learning opportunities that build connections between urban and rural youth and local farmers and ranchers.
• The Agriculture Safety and Mental Health Workshop is a new program that incorporates farm safety and mental health through experiential programs like equine therapy in a new hands-on learning opportunity for rural and urban youth.
• The Spring Senior Symposium will expand on mental health education for youth in agriculture and address the stigma associated with mental health challenges in farming communities.