Churchbridge, SK (Oct. 24, 2016) – Tracy Niggli of Alberta and Colleen Crunican of Ontario have been selected as the Outstanding Young Farmers Memorial Scholarship winners for 2016. Each winner will receive a $1,000 scholarship to support their post-secondary agricultural education.
Tracy has been involved in her family’s farm from a young age, which is where her passion for agriculture started. From the time she was ten years old, she knew that agriculture would be the core component of her life. “Being involved in this field is all I have ever wanted to do.”
Colleen grew up on a fourth generation apple orchard and cash crop farm. In 2013, she travelled to Kenya as part of Free the Children’s first ever Me to We agriculture and food security youth trip scholarship program. “I am very passionate about agriculture both in Canada and globally, and this passion will persist for the rest of my life.”
Tracy is beginning her post-secondary education at the University of Saskatchewan where she is working towards a Bachelor of Science in Agriculture & Agronomy. Colleen will graduate with a Bachelor of Science in Agriculture (Crop, Horticulture & Turfgrass Sciences) at the University of Guelph in 2018.
Since 2009, Canada’s Outstanding Young Farmers program has supported agricultural education for young Canadians through its Memorial Scholarship fund. The OYF Memorial Scholarship was established by the late Martin Streef, recipient of both Ontario’s and Canada’s OYF awards in 1996, to help future generations of Canadians pursue their passion for agriculture. Martin was president of Streef Produce Ltd., a family-run fresh fruit and vegetable business in Woodstock Ontario.
The award includes two annual scholarships – one to an individual who has completed at least one year of post-secondary study in agriculture, and the other to someone who has completed high school and is enrolling in a post-secondary education in agriculture. As part of the application process, applicants are asked to write an essay about why they are passionate about agriculture in Canada.
“Both Tracy and Colleen submitted thought-provoking essays about their views on the future of Canadian agriculture,” says Luanne Lynn, president of Canada’s OYF program. “It is so inspiring to provide scholarships to current and future agriculture students that will take the reins and help drive the future of the agriculture industry.”
Tracy will be recognized at the Alberta OYF regional event in February 2017. Colleen will be recognized at the OYF National event in Niagra next month.
Full details and application forms for the OYF Memorial Scholarships are available at oyfcanada.com under “Scholarships”. The deadline for nominations for the 2017 scholarships is June 30, 2017.
Celebrating 36 years, Canada’s Outstanding Young Farmers’ program is an annual competition to recognize farmers that exemplify excellence in their profession and promote the tremendous contribution of agriculture. Open to participants 18 to 39 years of age, making the majority of income from on-farm sources, participants are selected from seven regions across Canada, with two national winners chosen each year. The program is sponsored nationally by CIBC, John Deere, Bayer and Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada through Growing Forward 2, a federal, provincial, territorial initiative. The national media sponsor is Annex Business Media, and the program is supported nationally by AdFarm, BDO and Farm Management Canada.
Canada’s Outstanding Young Farmers for 2016 will be chosen at the National event in Niagara Falls, Ontario from Nov. 29 – Dec. 4.
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For more information contact:
Carla Kaeding, Program Manager, Canada’s Outstanding Young Farmers
306.896.7833 ·kaedingc@hotmail.com · oyfcanada.com