Federal Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz Declares Nov. 7th as National 4-H Day

Nov 07, 2012

Minister Ritz Wears Green to Participate in “Show Your 4-H Colours Day”

Canadian federal agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz wears green to support “Show your 4-H Colours Day” and encourages all Canadian’s to participate by wearing green also. The designated day happens every Nov. 7th to mark National 4-H month. The show your 4-H colours day provides an opportunity for 4-H enthusiasts to share their pride and spirit for the 4-H program.

"We have a long history of supporting 4-H clubs across Canada and I am proud to show my 4-H pride today and every day," said Minister Ritz "I encourage every Canadian to support Canada's youth by wearing green this November 7."

This year, 4-H Canada will be launching a social media campaign encouraging 4-H members to share their best 4-H spirit photo on Facebook and or tweet about 4-H on Twitter using the #4Hday hashtag. After the month is up, select photos will be featured in the revamped national 4-H magazine that will be launched in January 2013. Next year will mark the centenary celebration of 4-H with events that will be held throughout the year across the country, including a special 4-H gala in May 2013 that will be held in Winnipeg. The 4-H program started in 1913 in Roland, Manitoba and is one of the longest running rural youth organizations in the country.

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.