Agriculture in the Classroom Canada and Dairy Farmers of Canada join forces to provide scholarship opportunity

Agriculture in the Classroom Canada (AITC-C) and Dairy Farmers of Canada (DFC) have announced a new joint scholarship.

The DFC Here for Tomorrow Scholarship, powered by thinkAG, is open to students in grades 10-12 across Canada.

The scholarship directly connects students with the multitude of important roles and professions that exist within the agriculture and food sector, helping them recognize how their interests and skills can be utilized in this evolving industry.

“Food is, and always will be necessary. This means that those who produce food and ensure it’s on the plates of Canadians, and those around the world, will forever be essential workers. Right now, we don’t have enough people to fill food-producing jobs. Agriculture careers are as abundant as they are important. The industry needs dynamic and fresh perspectives as it continually grows in complexity and as the need for safe, affordable food continues to remain on the minds of every person in this world. At AITC-C, we want to help youth understand that people’s career paths are all unique, and that agriculture needs people from all backgrounds, with different skill sets and perspectives, to work in our important industry.” said Shayla Wourms, AITC-C’s thinkAG Manager.

The scholarship encourages career exploration in agriculture by providing students with unique perspectives on how to make an impact in sustainable farming both locally and nationally.

Prospective applicants will need to submit one of the following: a written essay (1,500 words), a video (3 mins), or a visual arts piece (ceramics, drawing, painting, sculpture, design, craft, photography, architecture), answering three key questions pertaining to their interests, agriculture and food careers, and global sustainability. Submissions are to be completed independently; however, teachers or career educators can support students in the scholarship application process by assigning it as a classroom project for course evaluation. For its pilot year, two deserving students will be awarded $2,500 CAD, with plans to grow to more recipients in future years.

“Dairy farmers have a long history of environmental stewardship and are eager to pass these values on to the next generation as we pursue a goal of net-zero emissions from dairy production by 2050,” said Pierre Lampron, president of Dairy Farmers of Canada. “We hope that this scholarship will embolden students to consider a career in agriculture and become stewards of the land, helping to care for our planet and feed our nation for years to come.”

The scholarship will officially open for applications on April 4 and will be accepted until June 1, 2022.