This May, I’ll celebrate a decade of working with CAAR, and with that also a decade of working in the agriculture industry. There are so many things that inspire me in this industry, but none more than the shared commitment to innovation and learning. I see this accomplished in so many ways, both formal and informal, everything from ongoing education through post-secondary institutions to the multitude of engaging and informative discussions on social media. Events like the CAAR Conference, as well as the numerous tradeshows and conferences hosted throughout the year, provide a wealth of information and opportunity to learn from friends and colleagues.

Each of the winners of the CAAR’s Choice Awards exemplify the spirit of innovation and commitment to continuous improvement that agriculture ought to be known for. I was moved by the speeches given by each winner, and am inspired to keep looking for opportunities to learn more and share my experience with those interested in learning about our industry.

I’d also like to take a moment to acknowledge the hard work done by the folks at Agriculture in the Classroom. I have had the opportunity to volunteer at some of their events over the years and was over-the-moon happy to receive word from my oldest son’s teacher that their second grade class welcomed a visitor during Canadian Ag Literacy Month who shared some of the cool aspects of agriculture with the class. The highlight of my day was seeing my son, Caleb, crush canola seeds, and hearing his enthusiasm for how canola oil is made. He was impacted by that lesson. Who knows where his future may lead, but on that day, he was focused on farming and careers in ag, even sharing how excited he was to tell his class that his mom works in agriculture.

My children inspire me every day to keep learning and sharing, and I am proud to work in an industry that provides so many opportunities to do so.

Best wishes,

Lynda Nicol
Editor-in-chief