4-H Ontario Ambassador program celebrates 10 years in 2015

Sep 16, 2014

It looks like 2015 is shaping up to be a big year for 4-H Ontario, with the centennial year of the provincial organization and the 10^th anniversary of the Ambassador program. The application process is now open for the next cohort of 4-H Ontario Ambassadors.

Given that it is a milestone year, there will be additional events and opportunities throughout the province for the 4-H Ambassador team. The purpose of the program is to provide senior members between the ages of 17-21 with the opportunity to cultivate important abilities, including leadership, communications and public relations skills.

The provincial title will have elements of both provincial and regional involvement. The one-year term, concludes in February, but in some cases Ambassadors may serve up to two years.

For those interested, there is a rigorous application process. An application form must be completed and submitted, including a resume, cover letter and two typed reference letters. A committee will pick the top applicants - who will then move on to the next phase of the process. Successful applicants will be interviewed by a panel of three judges and prepare a 3-5 minute presentation on topics provided.

The top six members will then undergo a training and orientation weekend which will focus on several areas, including communications, public relations and workshop facilitation. Other training opportunities will be made available throughout the year.

Winners are also expected to meet certain requirements including keeping a journal and scrapbook that will be used for promotion activities, attend a minimum of four provincial events, participate in the 4-H ambassador blog on a regular basis, and work closely with 4-H Ontario staff to plan for programs and events.

For more information about the Ambassador application requirements please visit www.4-hontario.ca.

Video: Evolution of Beef Cattle Farming

The Clear Conversations podcast took to the road for a special episode recorded in Nashville during CattleCon, bringing listeners straight into the heart of the cattle industry. Host Tracy Sellers welcomed rancher Steve Wooten of Beatty Canyon Ranch in Colorado for a wide-ranging discussion that blended family history and sustainability, particularly as it relates to the future of beef production.

Sustainability emerged as a central theme of the conversation, a word that Wooten acknowledges can mean very different things depending on who you ask. For him, sustainability starts with the soil. Healthy soil produces healthy grass, which supports efficient cattle capable of producing year after year with minimal external inputs. It’s an approach that equally considers vegetation, animal efficiency, and long-term profitability.

That philosophy aligned naturally with Wooten’s involvement in the U.S. Roundtable for Sustainable Beef, where he served as a representative for the Colorado Cattlemen’s Association. The roundtable brings together the entire beef supply chain—from producers to retailers—along with universities, NGOs, and allied industries. Its goal is not regulation, Wooten emphasized, but collaboration, shared learning, and continuous improvement.