Grain Farmers Of Ontario Legacy Scholarship Recipients Revealed

Grain Farmers of Ontario, the province’s largest commodity organization, representing Ontario’s 28,000 barley, corn, oat, soybean and wheat farmers, has awarded nine scholarships to Ontario post-secondary students through the Grain Farmers of Ontario Legacy Fund Scholarship program.

The Grain Farmers of Ontario Legacy Scholarship encourages the pursuit of higher education in any area of study that will benefit agriculture or agri-food and supports the development of future leaders in these areas. This year, Grain Farmers of Ontario awarded the top nine applicants, with scholarships of $5,000 to support the individual’s studies and the cost of school.

“Grain Farmers of Ontario is dedicated to empowering members of our agricultural community for success, extending our support to students aspiring to play a pivotal role in the future of Ontario’s agriculture and agri-food industries,” says Brendan Byrne, chair, Grain Farmers of Ontario. “We were impressed by the exceptional quality of the applications we received and anticipate remarkable contributions from the nine students we have selected.”

The Legacy Scholarship received 140 applications that were judged by members of the Board of Directors. Congratulations to the following recipients:

• Caleb Fretz, University of Guelph, Biological Engineering (Co-op)
• Scott Moore, University of Guelph, Master of Science in Plant Agriculture, Plant Breeding and Genetics
• Julianna Tindall, University of Guelph, Bachelor in Ag Science, Major in Crop Science
• Isabelle Aicklen, University of Guelph, Doctorate in Plant Agriculture
• Lorraine Vandermyden, University of Guelph, Master of Science in Environmental Science
• Matthew Whittmore, University of Guelph, Bachelor of Science in Agriculture, Major Crop Science
• Lauren Miller, University of Guelph, Master of Science in Rural Planning and Development
• Evan Dowd, Wilfred Laurier University, Honors Economics
• Ryan Miller, University of Ottawa, Juris Doctor

The Grain Farmers of Ontario Legacy Scholarship will open for applications in summer 2024. 

What is the Legacy Fund?

The Grain Farmers of Ontario Legacy Fund provides a once-in-a-generation opportunity for the organization to reimagine and reinvest in the sector. When the Grain Farmers of Ontario Wheat Marketing was eliminated, changes in regulations allowed for the transition of the wheat marketing fund into the Grain Farmers of Ontario Legacy Fund. The original wheat marketing fund was formed using contributions from existing assets from the three founding organizations (Ontario Wheat Producers’ Marketing Board, Ontario Corn Producers’ Association, and Ontario Soybean Growers).