Public speaking is an essential skill that has major benefits in both your personal and working life. For some people, public speaking comes naturally and for others it is a life-long mission to just be comfortable in front of a crowd.
Every year at the Canadian Young Speakers for Agriculture (CYSA) competition at the Royal Winter Fair, Canadians from across the country compete in the junior and senior categories to prove their speaking excellence.
“I have been to the CYSA several times and the quality and energy of these young people is so inspiring. They are the future leaders of our industry and country,” says Shaun Haney, host of RealAg Radio.
This year’s winner in the senior category is Emmett Sawyer, a University of Lethbridge student and farm boy from Acme, Alberta. Emmett’s speech was on “How can we educate urban populations about where our food comes from and the industry standards involved?”
On RealAg Radio Emmett says, “I talked about the organizations that are spreading the truth about agriculture and how farmers can make a major impact in their local communities. I also talked about how government policy impacts consumer perceptions of agriculture.”
Congratulations to the six finalists in this year’s @CYSAgriculture at the @RAWFagriculture. Super impressed with ALL the presentations from across Canada! #CYSA18 #agvocate #OntAg pic.twitter.com/dEXdiQTQT8
— Anne Thompson (@Caledon_Annie) November 3, 2018
Sawyer believes that agriculture is such an interesting industry which makes telling the stories of agriculture so easy when engaging with consumers. This once gain reminds us that dialogue does not need to be confrontational, but instead a conversation so that people have a higher probability of understanding how farming works.
Sawyer told Haney on RealAg Radio that his parents and experiences 4-H inspired him to compete in a speaking event like the CYSA.
Emmett Sawyer appeared on RealAg Radio on Tuesday, November 6, to talk about the big victory. Listen below.
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