Corteva Agriscience Invests $100,000 in 4-H Canada’s Environment & Healthy Living Programs

Ottawa, ON, – 4-H Canada is proud to announce Corteva Agriscience as the national partner supporting programing under our Environment & Healthy Living leadership development pillar. Corteva provides sustainable, world-class seed and crop protection solutions to farmers.

“We are honoured to have Corteva join 4-H Canada as a national partner, and grateful for their generous investment of $100,000, which will support programming for 4-H youth across the country,” said 4-H Canada Interim CEO, Hugh Maynard. “As the lead partner for our Environment & Healthy Living programming, Corteva is supporting high quality, experiential learning in areas that allow youth to make valuable contributions to their clubs, their communities, and the world.”

4-H Canada’s Environment & Healthy Living pillar features programming that empowers youth leaders to explore everything from interactive mental and physical health resources to robust career programming. In addition to supporting national initiatives, Corteva’s investment will also bolster programming at the provincial level.

“Corteva is honoured to support the important work of 4-H across the country,” said Jeremy Dirks, VP of Corteva’s Canada Commercial Business. “Wellbeing and career development programs offered through 4-H ensure young people are given the opportunity to develop to their full potential.”

One of the premier opportunities for youth within the Environment & Healthy Living pillar is the Members Forum conference - 4-H Canada’s longest-running program, first offered in 1931. Corteva supported the most recent Members Forum and, with this partnership renewal, will continue to help fund the event in the years ahead. In addition to financial support, Corteva leaders also connected with youth participants during the always-popular Mentorship Circles.

Corteva’s North American Director, Grains and Oils, Tyler Groeneveld, joined for a networking lunch, where groups of delegates could connect with their chosen mentors, ask questions, and gain valuable insights on career opportunities within their fields of interest.

“The youth I spoke with during Mentorship Circles are the next generation of leaders in our industry,” said Groeneveld. “It was energizing to hear their enthusiasm and ideas. I left the Mentorship Circles excited that the future of agriculture in Canada will be in good hands.”

It’s clear that youth delegates also left Members Forum feeling good about their future, with a post-event survey showing that 98% felt they learned skills that will support their future education and career readiness. One youth delegate commented, “After Members Forum, I feel like I have a much stronger sense of what my career could be, and where my education could take me.”

However, Mentorship Circles are just one of the invaluable opportunities that make up 4-H Canada’s Careers on the Grow program – which is the cornerstone of the Environment & Healthy Living pillar. As the national partner for this pillar, Corteva’s support helps 4-H Canada continue to offer programming and resources to support youth in developing career readiness skills, exploring career paths, and even gaining real-life experience through paid internships.