AALP Celebrates 40 Years at Canada’s Outdoor Farm Show 2024

The Advanced Agricultural Leadership Program (AALP) celebrated its 40th anniversary at Canada’s Outdoor Farm Show in Woodstock.

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The program, run by the Rural Ontario Institute (ROI) is an “an experiential executive leadership program” for those interested in taking on leadership roles in different aspects of agriculture.

Alumni gathered at the special events tent to hear reflections on the program and its continued importance over the past 40 years.

Doug Pletsch, who worked with the first two graduating AALP classes sang the program’s praises.

“It’s amazing, really, in terms of the potential that it has had on agriculture,” he said. “With the number of people who have gone through the program and who have made an impact on whatever part of the industry that they were in.”

Cathy Young, who worked for the program between classes one and seven, said that AALP has had a far-reaching impact across the province.

“I think no matter where you go in Ontario, you meet somebody who has been impacted by the program or been a grad, and it’s really fantastic to see,” she said.

ROI Leadership Programs Director Gabrielle “Gabe” Ferguson kicked off the afternoon’s speeches.

“AALP creates an experiential leadership opportunity like no other,” she said, “where graduates become our sector voices, on farms, in organizations and with industry.”

AALP prioritizes diversity in its members, with the goal of representing different sectors and businesses across the agriculture value chain. The current class includes representatives from the dairy, poultry, finance and seed sectors, among others.

“There are many leadership programs, and none of them have the across the agriculture and food sector perspective and hands-on experiential journey that AALP gives its participants,” she said.

Following Ferguson’s introductions, Alumni Ken Knox delivered a recorded video greeting.

Knox spoke about his experience in the U.S. with the AALP pilot program in 1980. “We came back so enthused that we could do something like that in Ontario, and four years later, the program was born.”

He also mentioned how he has seen ag leadership change since the program began in 1984.

“Technology and the changes with technology just blow me away as to how that’s changed how leadership is done among agriculture professionals today.”

Ferguson was later joined onstage by Ontario Federation of Agriculture (OFA) General Manager Cathy Lennon and Ontario Minister of Rural Affairs Lisa Thompson, alumni of classes six and nine respectively.

Both spoke about how AALP helped them chart a path forward in their careers.

“No matter what we do,” Thompson said, “everything we learned in AALP has certainly paved the way.”