30 It’s Farming. And It’s Better. Better Farming | December 2024 PROFILE: CARSON WAGNER sentative, and they made sure to involve me in events.” Future of ag Carson says that farmers need to stay connected to each other, and being involved in JFAO is one way to do that. He explains, “It’s a great opportunity for young farmers to connect with others in the industry. “It’s nice to chat with farmers from all over the province and compare what happens in their area to what happens in ours. It’s interesting to see the differences. “I think joining the association is beneficial because of the social aspect. You can make many connections professionally and personally. I have made many friends all over Ontario and even some overseas.” In addition to keeping farmers connected, Carson also hopes to encourage others from non-agricultural backgrounds to join and get involved in the industry. He says, “At events like farm shows, we get the opportunity to connect with farm kids – but also others interested in learning more about agriculture. “We have members coming out to meetings who live in towns and cities. They hear about JFAO through friends – and word of mouth keeps spreading.” “Even though people may not come from a farm or have a farming background – they seem to enjoy coming to meetings and learning more about farming and agriculture.” Carson stresses the importance of bringing more people into the industry. “This is a great opportunity for people to get involved in agriculture. Our farming community is shrinking, and we want to bring more people into the industry.” “We want to encourage more people to come out! “Some of the goals we’re working on is to expand our reach. We are working to diversify our members and hopefully keep them involved in agriculture.” Of course, “It’s not only about learning agriculture,” he says, but also about becoming a confident leader. “I like to push people to step out of their comfort zone to try and take on leadership roles within JFAO.” In doing this, he hopes to help encourage members to take on more leadership roles outside the association and become an active part of the industry. “It’s important to ensure we do everything we can to promote strong ag leaders and grow the sector for future generations.” Christena Jenkins, communications director at JFAO, says, “Carson is a great leader who is helping to build stronger relationships with farming groups and promote agriculture and leadership to younger generations. “He has been a great addition to the JFAO executive.” BF Carson plays an active role in maintenance and decision-making on the farm. Mary Loggan photo
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