Canada’s Farmers Grow Communities Program gives out two grants in each of the country’s 33 grain-growing regions each year — for a total of $165,000. Nine of those regions are in Alberta.

To apply for the program (sponsored by the Monsanto Fund, a philanthropic arm of Bayer), go to canadasfarmers.ca. Farmers can only submit one entry, but multiple farmers can complete an entry for the same charity or project. Charitable groups and community members can also offer suggestions that farmers can then consider.

Applications can be made until Sept. 30 and winners will be drawn at random.

Since the program’s inception, more than $1.1 million in community grants has been provided to almost 450 rural-based charities and not-for-profit groups.

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The 2018 edition of Canada’s Farmers Grow Communities received 758 farmer applications (a 68 per cent increase from 2017) and 337 charity suggestions (a 200 per cent increase from 2017). Two winners from each of the country’s 33 farming regions (selected by a random draw) were chosen to share $165,000 in funding.

The 2018 Alberta winners (with the nominating farmers in parentheses) are: Acme Swimming Pool (Kelli Becker, Acme), Airdrie & District Victims Assistance Society (Bob and Ellen Cornish, Airdrie), Alberta Central Railroad Museum (M Jean Angus, Wetaskiwin), Donalda Animal Rescue (Marijke Maltais, Stettler), Alberta Legacy Development Society (Douglas Schneider, Leduc), Friends of the Newbrook Public Library (Dalton Trenholm, Newbrook), Beaverlodge Rural Crime Watch (Cori Blum, Hythe), Saskatoon Lake Agricultural Society (David Hegland, Wembley), Stavely And District Agricultural Society (Travis Husted, Stavely), Wrentham Library Society (Alvin Waldner, Wrentham), Peace Region Dance Academy (Derrick Dechief, Falher), Warriors Youth Rec Hockey Team (Marc Brochu, Girouxville), Drumheller & District Humane Society (Lisa Rosgen, Drumheller), Trochu Valley Historical Society (Francis deBeaudrap, Trochu), Beaver County Victim Services Association (Colleen Sears, Tofield), The Heather Curling Club (Cathy Freed, Vegreville), Clandonald & District Recreation Association (Audrey Cusak, Clandonald), and Provost Lions Community Handi-van Service Society (Menzies Farms, Provost).

The money for the initiative comes from the Monsanto Fund, a philanthropic arm of Bayer. Applications for the 2019 edition of the program will open in January (and be accepted until next September) at canadasfarmers.ca.

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Canada’s Farmers Grow Communities will hand out 66 grants in November, two in each of the country’s 33 grain-growing regions — nine of which are in Alberta. Winners will be drawn randomly from all applications received by Sept. 30.

The program, an initiative of the Monsanto Fund, allows farmers to register to win a $2,500 donation for their favourite community charity or not-for-profit group engaged in charitable work. Recipients could include organizations such as agricultural societies, service clubs, 4-H clubs, educational organizations, or other civic groups (such as fire- or health-related organizations or food pantries).

The application is online and takes about five minutes to complete.

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The program will award 65 scholarships to eligible students. Most will go to young people from farm families, but up to 25 scholarships could go to students who come from non-farm families.

“Modern agriculture is innovative, science based, high tech, and full of rewarding job opportunities for students from diverse backgrounds with diverse skill sets,” said Trish Jordan, public and industry affairs director with Monsanto Canada. “We need well-educated young people in our industry and with many Canadians passionate about improving their health and nutrition, there are job opportunities in food science and the culinary arts, too. So we’re happy to support these additional areas of study.”

The application deadline is May 31. Applicants must have confirmed plans to enrol in their first year of post-secondary education in agriculture, an agriculture-related program, or a food-related field of study at a Canadian educational institution. Successful candidates will have demonstrated academic excellence, leadership capabilities, and community involvement. Applications must include an essay that outlines the future role they hope to play in agriculture or food, and how they see themselves making an impact in the industry. They also need a reference letter from a farmer or food-related professional.

Application forms and program details are available at the Monsanto website or by calling 1-800-667-4944.

The Monsanto Fund has awarded more than $1.8 million to thousands of students since 1991.

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The program, sponsored by the Monsanto Fund, gives farmers the opportunity to win a $2,500 grant for their favourite charitable or not-for-profit group in their community.

A total of two grants will be awarded in each of the country’s 33 grain-growing regions. Nine of those regions are in Alberta. Winners will be drawn randomly from all applications received between Jan. 1 and Sept. 30.

Farmers may make one entry each, but multiple farmers can apply for the same charity or project. As well, charities and community groups can also participate by offering suggestions for farmers to consider.

The list of charities can include almost any non-profit organization based in rural Canada. Past winners have included 4-H clubs, rural daycares, libraries, volunteer fire departments, hospitals, schools, ag societies, senior centres, and other community facilities.

Complete contest rules, eligibility requirements, and an online application form are available at the Canada’s Farmers Grow Communities website.

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The six-year-old program, sponsored by the Monsanto Fund, gives grants to schools, libraries, historical societies, health and recreational facilities, rural daycares, senior clubs, 4-H groups, food banks, and other community organizations. To be eligible, the organization must be supported by a local farmer.

One of the Alberta recipients is the Bay Tree Community Park Association, which will put its grant toward upgrading the local park and playground facility.

“I am a young senior and I can tell you that as a child I played on the equipment that is currently in the park,” said local resident Lurind Jeaneaux. “That’s a long time to go without any upgrades, so we are thrilled to receive this boost to our fundraising efforts.”

That project was supported by Bay Tree-area farmer Garth Thompson.

“A gift of $2,500 doesn’t seem like a lot, but from talking to some of the farmers and the charities themselves it can make a huge difference in their communities,” said Trish Jordan, public and industry affairs director at Monsanto Canada.

Other Alberta recipients (and the farmer(s) who supported them) were WINGS of Providence Society (William Heidecker, Calgary), Nose Creek Valley Museum Society (Terrie and Scott Copley, Crossfield), Ponoka & District Health Foundation (Dorothy Ungstad, Ponoka), Stettler Regional Child Care Society (Heather Rowland, Big Valley), Beaverhill Bird Observatory Society (Nathan Strilchuk), Leduc & District Emergency Shelter (Gordon Schneider, Beaver County), La Glace People Deterrent Citizens on Patrol (Nancy Schlauwitz, La Glace), Medicine Hat Youth Action Society (Nichole Neubauer, Medicine Hat), Wrentham Fire & Rescue Foundation (Kim Owen, Wrentham), Smoky River Palliative Care Society (Jules Aubin, Guy), Société Centre Communautaire De St. Isidore (Alain Lavoie, St. Isidore), Alix Agricultural Society (Carolyn Barritt, Alix), Trochu Playschool (Ernest Gelinas, Trochu), Community Association for Lasting Success (Wesley Antonchuk, Vegreville), Holden Agricultural Society (Maury Micklich, Holden), Friends of the Innisfree Library Society (Randy and Susan Cannon, Innisfree), and the Mannville Historical Society (Jim and Eileen Kitt, Mannville).

The 2018 edition of the program will be open for submissions in February. Farmers can submit an application for a charity in their area until the end of September.

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The scholarships are for students entering their first year of agriculture or food-related studies at a Canadian university and college.

Traditionally the Monsanto Fund Opportunity Scholarship Program required applicants to be from a farm and entering agriculture or an agricultural-related field of study. In honour of the program’s 25th anniversary last year, and the recognition of the close connection between farming and food, eligibility was extended to students pursuing studies in food-related fields of study, regardless of whether they grew up on a farm or not.

“Our program has always been about supporting young people in their pursuit of a diploma or degree in agriculture because we need the very best to consider agriculture as a career path so our industry can continue to grow and prosper,” said Trish Jordan, director of public and industry affairs with Monsanto Canada.

“Our decision to open up the program to students interested in a food-related career was driven by a desire to close the gap between farming and food.”

The program has awarded more than $1.9 million since 1991. Details on the launch of the 2018 program will be available at www.monsanto.ca in February (click on the Our Commitments pull-down menu and then on Opportunity Scholarship).

This year’s Alberta winners are Gwyn Beatty (Chauvin), Joelle Benoit (Girouxville), Cole Chesterman (Edgerton), Jessica Dugan (Sherwood Park), Emmalyn Elgersma (Brooks), Alyssa Henderson (Bashaw), Cassandra Klaas (Claresholm), Erika MacDonald (St. Albert), Miranda Miranda (Red Deer), Afke Muller (Hays), Grace Nimco (Colinton), Kaitlin Rose (Champion), and Jourdyn Sammons (Gleichen).

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There are 65 scholarships, worth $1,500 each, available (with up to 25 per cent available to students from non-farm backgrounds). Students can now choose to pursue a post-secondary education in agriculture or food-related programs, including fields of study such as nutrition or the culinary arts. Up to 25 of a total of 65 scholarships will be offered to students from non-farm backgrounds.

Applicants must submit an essay outlining their role in the future of sustainable agriculture and food production. They must also have a farmer or food professional provide a reference letter. For more info and an application form, go to www.monsanto.ca.

All applications must be postmarked not later than June 15, and winners will be announced in September. More than $1.8 million in scholarships have been awarded since the program was launched in 1991.

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The program has traditionally offered 65 entrance scholarships valued at $1,500 each to graduating Grade 12 students from farm families pursuing post-secondary studies in agriculture or agriculture-related fields. This year, eligible students can choose to pursue a post-secondary education in agriculture or food-related programs, including fields of study such as nutrition or the culinary arts. Up to 25 of a total of 65 scholarships will be offered to students from non-farm backgrounds.

“Our focus remains on encouraging quality young people to pursue careers in agriculture, and the majority of the scholarships will go to students from farms,” said Kelly Funke, public affairs manager with Monsanto Canada. “But more and more we are seeing that careers in food production, food preparation and nutrition are all part of the larger food system. That system needs great minds from many different walks of life.”

In addition to being enrolled in agriculture or food-related studies at a Canadian post-secondary educational institution, applicants must have demonstrated academic excellence, leadership capabilities, and a keen interest and involvement in their community. They must also write an essay on what role Canadian agriculture can play in the future of food and how they will contribute. Application forms and complete program details are available at monsanto.ca. The deadline for applications is June 15 and winning entries will be announced in September.

More than $1.7 million has been given out since the program launched in 1991. In 2012, the program was taken over by the Monsanto Fund, the philanthropic arm of Monsanto Company.

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Each was nominated by a local farmer who applied on behalf of their favourite cause.

The 2015 edition of the program received 371 entries, with winners drawn by board members of the independent administrator, Agriculture in the Classroom.

Now in its fourth year, the program generated a wide variety of ideas from farmers on how local groups in their communities could benefit from the grants. A record number of the rural-based charitable groups also contributed ideas online at CanadasFarmers.ca, which allowed them to suggest a cause and find local farmers to support it by submitting an entry. (Details on the 2016 program will be available on the website in January.)

The Alberta groups (with their nominator in parentheses) are: Bow Island Friends of the Library Society (Paul Gruninger, Bow Island), Kneehill Historical Society (Neil Boles, Three Hills), Acme Golf Club (Robert Bates, Calgary), Standard Municipal Library (Lori Bach, Standard), Magrath Museum Agricultural Building (Gary Stanford, Magrath), Bashaw Skating Club (Prudence Harris, Camrose), Terrace Ridge Playground Society (Lisa Otto, Lacombe), Fairview Rotary Club (Michael Rolling, Bluesky), Nampa and District Agricultural Society (Corinne Bobbie Toker, Nampa), Eaglesham and District Agricultural Society (Martine Piebiak, Eaglesham), Daysland School (Allison Blake, Daysland), Holden District Agricultural Society (Brent Suchy, Vegreville), Tofield Seniors Centre (Harold Warkentin, Tofield), Friends of the Falher Library (Wendy Gagnon, Falher), Barrhead Animal Rescue Society (Kristen Evan, Barrhead), Neerlandia Sports Committee (Charlene Nanninga, Barrhead), Lamont and District Agricultural Society (Frank Cholak, Lamont), and Dewberry and District Agricultural Society (Art Parr, Dewberry).

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