22-05-2025
- Business
- Hamilton Spectator
Touting the benefits of a leadership program in the ag sector
A broader understanding of agriculture and expanding your network are just a few skills emphasized in the Advanced Agricultural Leadership Program (AALP), which has been shaping the future of the industry for 40 years.
Tracey Arts, a recent participant, says the experience led to her becoming more involved in the sector, including becoming a director of the Ontario Federation of Agriculture (OFA).
'I wanted more experience and to get more comfortable talking to a group of people, whether a smaller group or a larger group, which gave me the confidence to do more public speaking,' she explained of how she ended up joining the leadership program.
Originally from a Niagara peninsula dairy farm, she and her husband operate a dairy farm near Thamesford. She's represented Oxford and Elgin counties as an OFA director since 2020.
When looking for a leadership program, she wanted something related to agriculture, in keeping with her farming background. The AALP allowed her to learn from members of the agriculture sector across the province.
'We're always great about talking about what we know in our little area, but being a representative on the provincial level – we represent all of Ontario – I wanted some of that aspect,' she said.
The OFA puts on the program with three other founding partners, the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Agribusiness, the University of Guelph and the Foundation for Rural Living (now Rural Ontario Institute). AALP is currently training its 21st class, and the program has been running since 1984.
Gabe Ferguson from the Rural Ontario Institute told The Observer how the program picks each class based on bringing together people from all sectors of agriculture and agribusiness.
'Each person who comes in is expected to donate something, with skills and knowledge that they can share with others, and to receive skills and knowledge that they need,' said Ferguson.
That sharing of perspectives is the basis on which the program is set.
'We layer on top of that self-awareness, building a strong team, negotiation, trade policy, governance. We take them to seven seminars around the province of Ontario.... They have a leadership workshop and do site tours to innovative farms, businesses and rural economic development sites. And then we go on a North American study tour... and they also go internationally,' he explained.
Ferguson notes that those taking the course gain networking opportunities. AALP gives participants access to 40 years of alumni who are always willing to help.
'You can always call up any alumni, and always have this connection. You can always call, not just your class, but especially your classmates, and be like, 'Hey, I have a question about this. Can you answer it for me?'
'I think it's crazy how unique that is, that you just have that immediate bond with other people who have taken AALP too.'
For her part, Arts says she knows people are busy and may think they don't have time for a program like AALP, but argues the experience is well worth the effort.
'If you're thinking about it, just do it. You will not regret it. I've not heard an AALP graduate say 'I should never have taken this course.' I've always heard that 'I should have done it sooner.''
For more information about the program, see
If you are interested in learning more about the program, go to
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