Agriculture Student Scholarship

Your future in agriculture is waiting.
The possibilities are endless, so dream big and thinkAG!

Benefits of Applying

Saskatchewan's agriculture and agri-food industry offers numerous career opportunities - from production, research, processing, manufacturing, to finance and everything in between. In fact, the industry accounts for more than 50,000 jobs across the province. people in primary agriculture alone.

For students who want to tell the exciting story of agriculture, the Saskatchewan Ministry of Agriculture offers the Agriculture Student Scholarship. The winning scholarship is valued at $4,000 and the three runner-up scholarships are valued at $2,000 each.

Eligibility

We are looking for young people who plan to pursue a career in the industry. To be eligible for this scholarship, you must be a Grade 12 student or recent high school graduate (within the past two years) residing in Saskatchewan who is planning to take agriculture-related post-secondary education beginning in the fall of 2021. 

Note: Ministry of Agriculture and Saskatchewan Crop Insurance Corporation employees and their immediate family members are not eligible.

How to Apply

Applicants must complete the Application Form and:

• Produce a creative three-minute video or 1,000-word essay (criteria below);
• Provide a letter of conditional acceptance to a post-secondary institution; and
• Provide a letter of recommendation from either a teacher/professor, agriculture industry leader or community leader.

The application deadline was March 1, 2021.

Download application form.

Application Theme and Criteria

Applications to the 2021 Agriculture Scholarship program should align with the theme, transparency and answer one of the guiding questions below. Applicants should explore the idea of transparency in agriculture and how it affects public perception. Submissions should focus on how the public’s trust in modern agriculture is connected to the transparency of the industry.

Guiding questions:

• What does transparency in modern agriculture look like?
• What can the agriculture industry do to improve its transparency?

Finding Inspiration

When developing your essay or video, consider the following questions:

• Seek out and interview individuals involved in different aspects of the industry. There are many dedicated people committed to delivering healthy, affordable and safe products right here in Saskatchewan. Who knows? Their stories may just inspire you!
• Tell us about a fun way a food company or producer has been transparent about their product or operations. This can be from a grocery store, farmers market, or online.
• Have you ever wanted to know more about a certain food product or agricultural practice? What did you do to find this information; was it easily available?
• What are your favourite resources to learn about all things agriculture? Do you have a personal connection with someone in the industry? Or maybe you have a favourite website or video that discusses Canadian agricultural practices?

Note: These questions are meant as a guide, and you are not required to address each of them directly in your application.

Still not sure where to start? Check out these links for some great ideas.

• OurFoodHasAStory.ca
• thinkAG Career Profiles
• The Real Dirt on Farming
• Saskatchewan's Stewardship Journey
• AgricultureMoreThanEver.ca

Evaluation Process

Videos and written submissions will be judged by a review committee based on: alignment with the theme provided, development of ideas, structure and clarity, creativity and quality, and professionalism. Leadership qualities and school/community involvement in your letters of recommendation will also be taken into consideration.

The Ministry of Agriculture reserves the right to publish or promote all submissions as deemed appropriate.

Scholarship Recipient

Scholarship recipients will be notified in May 2021. Recipients will need to submit their Official Confirmation of Enrollment, as issued by their post-secondary institution, prior to receiving the scholarship funds.