Monsanto Fund Scholarships a Gift From the Present to the Future

WINNIPEG, MANITOBA--(Marketwired - Sept. 25, 2014) - Thanks to the farmers who know them best, 65 rural high school graduates have received $1,500 scholarships from the Monsanto Fund to pursue a future in agriculture.

This was the first time in the 23-year history of the Monsanto Fund Opportunity Scholarship program that applicants were required to submit a nomination from a local farmer along with high school transcripts, general reference letter, lists of achievements, community involvement, and an essay explaining, "In what area of agriculture would you like to work and why?"

The 2014 Monsanto Fund Opportunity Scholarship winners are all Grade 12 graduates from farm families who are enrolled in a first-year degree or diploma program in agriculture or an agricultural-related field this fall at a recognized Canadian educational institution.

"I am so inspired by the quality of the applicants. It amazes me what these people have accomplished at such a young age," said Sue Clayton, community liaison coordinator with the Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences at the University of Manitoba, one of the program judges. "It made for some terribly difficult decisions for the judges, but it made us marvel at what the future of agriculture holds."

All applications were reviewed by an independent judging panel comprised of: Clayton; Robert Adamson, consultant and program director with Pembina Trails School Division; Delaney Ross Burtnack, president and chief executive officer of the Canadian Association of Agri-Retailers (CAAR); Don Pincock, Monsanto Canada retiree, Geeta Chopra, account executive with Think Shift Inc., and John Morriss, associate publisher and editorial director with Farm Business Communications.
Administered on behalf of the Monsanto Fund by Agriculture in the Classroom-Manitoba Inc. (AITC-M), the scholarship program received 173 applications from across Canada this year.

"It is a privilege to partner with Monsanto Canada and the Monsanto Fund as they provide scholarships to deserving students. The future of agriculture is dependent on bright and energetic young people who will shape the next generation of food production," said Johanne Ross, executive director of AITC-M. "The fact that someone farming today also sees the potential in these kids and believes in them tells us we're on the right track and should continue building agriculture awareness and understanding in young students."

Details on the launch of the 2015 Monsanto Fund Opportunity Scholarship Program will be released in February 2015 and will also be available online at www.monsanto.ca.

About the Monsanto Fund

The Monsanto Fund, the philanthropic arm of the Monsanto Company, is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to strengthening the communities where farmers and Monsanto Company employees live and work. Visit the Monsanto Fund at www.monsantofund.org

About Monsanto Canada

Headquartered in Winnipeg, MB, Monsanto Canada Inc. is part of the larger global Monsanto Company. Monsanto is an agricultural company committed to bringing a broad range of solutions to help nourish our growing world. We produce a variety of seeds ranging from fruits and vegetables to key crops - such as corn, soybeans, canola and cotton - that help farmers produce abundant and nutritious food. We work to find sustainable agriculture solutions that help farmers conserve natural resources, use data to improve farming practices, use water and other important resources more efficiently, and protect their crops from pests and disease. Through programs and partnerships, we collaborate with farmers, researchers, nonprofit organizations, universities and others to help tackle some of the world's biggest challenges.

To learn more about Monsanto, please visit: www.monsanto.ca or follow us on Twitter @MonsantoCda.

NOTE: The complete list of 2014 Monsanto Fund Opportunity Scholarship winners, by province, is included below.

2014 Monsanto Fund Opportunity Scholarship Winners

BRITISH COLUMBIA				ALBERTA
Ashley Gilliland		Delta, BC		Brooke Bablitz		Cherhill, AB
Rayden Shannon		Knutsford, BC		Donald Bertagnolli		Rocky Mountain House, AB
Hannah Storoschuk		Williams Lake, BC		Ashley Bodie		Coaldale, AB
				Mackenzie Brummelhuis		Vauxhall, AB
				Myles Butt		Hughenden, AB
				Riley Coppock		Castor, AB
SASKATCHEWAN				Kyle Dodgson		Sangudo, AB
Braden Adam		MacNutt, SK		Melanie Krupa		Vimy, AB
Madison Boon		Maryfield, SK		Lee Morey		Rochester, AB
Audra Cooper		West Bend, SK		Molly Rainforth		Lacombe, AB
Kayla Domashovitz		Cando, SK
Amanda Fedorchuk		Norquay, SK
Sara Grassick		Prince Albert, SK
Robyn Kary		Vibank, SK		MANITOBA
Jeremy Lacroix		Tisdale, SK		Julie Campbell		Isabella, MB
Josée Monvoisin		Gravelbourg, SK		Stephanie Dousselaere		Cartwright, MB
Kaylee Morris		Delisle, SK		Joseph Holtmann		Rosser, MB
Bailey Ogilvie		Ardath, SK		Tomina Jackson		Inglis, MB
Michelle Ross		Grenfell, SK		Monique Janssen		Brunkild, MB
Chelsey Schoepp		Grenfell, SK		Elliott Kiel		Teulon, MB
Kendall Scott		Nipawin, SK		Zachary Koscielny		Strathclair, MB
Heather Sorestad		Buchanan, SK		Brayden Kreshewski		Minnedosa, MB
				Karleigh Lewis		Gladstone, MB
				Sonya Michaleski		Ashville, MB
				Melanie Mueller		Arnaud, MB
				Jake Rawluk		Moosehorn, MB
				Rianna Tonn		Plumas, MB
				Bradley Wright		MacGregor, MB
ONTARIO				QUEBEC
Murray Bruce		Woodstock, ON		Véronique Coté		St-Anaclet, QC
Michaela Chalmers		Oro-Medonte, ON		Jasmin Fréchette		Ste-Brigitte-des-Saults, QC
Colleen Crunican		Denfield, ON		Olivier Lanoie		St-Hugues, QC
Joel Fox		Wooler, ON		Anne Schmidlin		Lemieux, QC
Emma Gilchrist		Orillia, ON		Renaud St-Amour		Aumond, QC
Brent Griffith		Dresden, ON
Jenna Jarvis		Rainy River, ON		MARITIMES
Michael Jenkins		Belmont, ON		Jonathan Bent		Lawrencetown, NS
Derek Karn		Woodstock, ON		Connor Morse		Kingston, NS
Kelvin Knip		Lucan, ON		Sydney Naugler		Blockhouse, NS
Brandon Knott		Clarksburg, ON
Colette Koopman		Vanessa, ON
Alexander Sanders		Brussels, ON
Emily Van Bommel		Thamesford, ON
Derek Van De Walle		St. Marys, ON