Next Youth Ag-Summit to be Held in Australia in 2015 - Global initiative seeks young leaders to apply passion to sustainable agriculture

CANBERRA, Australia and CALGARY, AB, Oct. 2, 2014 /CNW Telbec/ - Bayer CropScience together with Future Farmers Network Australia (FFN) will host the second Youth Ag-Summit in Canberra, Australia on August 24th to 28th, 2015.

Approximately 100 young thought leaders, ages 18-25, from around the world are invited to secure their attendance by submitting an essay outlining their position on the underlying causes of food security and the effect it can have on a population.  

Bayer CropScience first supported the inaugural Youth Ag-Summit movement with 4-H Canada in 2013, held in Calgary, Alberta, where over 100 participants from around the world shared their ideas in an open dialogue about the future of agriculture. This impactful week of inspiring ideas, relationships, opportunities and leaders led to over 540 actionable outcomes that are continuing around the globe today.

Dr. Jacqueline Applegate, Managing Director Bayer CropScience, Australia and New Zealand, said, "The world's population is estimated to be more than 9 billion by 2050, supported by less farmland and resources than ever before. The Summit challenges youth to address what is arguably the biggest issue facing the world today, how do we feed ourselves?"

The Summit is a unique forum for youth leaders to bring their fresh and innovative thinking to these big challenges, providing a global platform to allow youth to engage with current and future agricultural leaders, continued Dr. Applegate.

Georgie Alley, the Chair of the FFN said, ''Future Farmers Network understands the very real need to address our shared global agricultural future now by helping to nurture leaders. We are pleased and proud to partner with Youth Ag-Summit 2015 and to help kick start it today."

Bayer CropScience Canada will continue to partner with 4-H Canada locally to send four inspiring young leaders to the 2015 Youth Ag-Summit. Two of the selected will be 4-H members or alumni.

"We're excited to see Bayer continue the success we helped create in 2013," said Shannon Benner, CEO of 4-H Canada. "We will continue to support this global initiative locally as we help find the brightest and most motivated young leaders."

"Canada should be proud of the role it has and continues to play in agriculture globally," said Derrick Rozdeba, Manager, Markerting Communications, Bayer CropScience Canada. "Delegates from the 2013 Summit set a standard for youth engagement in food security and I believe Canada's leaders in the upcoming Summit will represent us well again."

Essay applications are now being accepted online through 30 January, 2015 at www.youthagsummit.com.

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About Future Farmers Network
Future Farmers Network (FFN) is Australia's only national youth agricultural network that connects and supports young Australians involved in rural industries. Operating since 2002, FFN connects youth involved in all facets of agriculture and provides members with access to the latest news, events, scholarships, awards and information from across all aspects of the Australian agricultural sector. To learn more about FFN visit: http://www.futurefarmers.com.au/.

About Bayer CropScience
Bayer is a global enterprise with core competencies in the fields of health care, agriculture and high-tech materials. Bayer CropScience, the subgroup of Bayer AG responsible for the agricultural business, has annual sales of EUR 8,819 million (2013) and is one of the world's leading innovative crop science companies in the areas of seeds, crop protection and non-agricultural pest control. The company offers an outstanding range of products including high value seeds, innovative crop protection solutions based on chemical and biological modes of action as well as an extensive service backup for modern, sustainable agriculture. In the area of non-agricultural applications, Bayer CropScience has a broad portfolio of products and services to control pests from home and garden to forestry applications. The company has a global workforce of 22,400 and is represented in more than 120 countries. This and further news is available at: www.press.bayercropscience.com.

SOURCE: Bayer CropScience

Derrick Rozdeba, Manager, Marketing Communications, Bayer CropScience, Phone: [phone], [email protected]; Jackie Elliott, GolinHarris, Phone: [phone], [email protected]; Iris Williams, Communication Manager and Youth Ag-Summit Project Lead, Bayer CropScience, Phone [phone], Mobile [phone], [email protected]