MELFORT — A Melfort student received a prestigious scholarship for her academic efforts in the agriculture industry.
Caitlyn Spratt was awarded $4,000 toward her post-secondary studies as the grand prize recipient of the province's 2023 Agriculture Student Scholarship. Her essay discussed Saskatchewan's sustainability efforts, which included implementing practices like zero till and GPS technology as well as addressing the environmental benefits of cattle grazing on the province's native rangelands. Caitlyn plans to further her education at the University of Saskatchewan at the College of Agriculture and Bioresources.
Federal Agriculture and Agri-Food Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau and Saskatchewan Agriculture Minister David Marit awarded scholarships to students from across the province pursuing a post-secondary education in agriculture.
Spratt said that she is a fourth generation cattle and grain farmer and credits her parents for much of her knowledge, passion and work ethic. She has been a part of 4H and has been able to go to several conferences on agriculture. Spratt plans on attending the University of Saskatchewan in the fall and is enrolled in Animal Bioscience at the U of S. Her plans are to become a veterinarian.
Spratt told SASKTODAY.ca that she found out at school on lunch break with her friend and was very excited to be awarded the scholarship and be the grand prize recipient on her essay.
Saskatchewan Agriculture received 39 applications for this scholarship. They are ranked by a committee based on professionalism, passion, leadership for the industry and their essay/video itself.
Caitlyn’s essay highlighted the sustainable practices that Saskatchewan farmers use such as minimum till, GPS tech and the environmental impact of cattle grazing on our native rangelands. Her essay did a good job of connecting scientific topics like photosynthesis and carbon cycling to agriculture. She also talked about the need for transparency in agriculture to tell our story and ways we can work on that. It was evident throughout her submission that she is a passionate leader for the ag industry, said Tate Wrubleski, spokesperson for Saskatchewan Agriculture. Her essay can be viewed on the Government of Saskatchewan's website.
"Education is key to success!” Spratt said. “Winning this scholarship enables me to share the story of agriculture while furthering my education and pursuing a career in the industry I love.”
Danielle Dyok from Saskatoon, Katherine Andree from Val Marie and Emery Cholin from Kerrobert were all awarded $2,000 as runners-up for the scholarship. Danielle and Emery will both be attending post-secondary at the University of Saskatchewan this fall at the College of Agriculture and Bioresources. Katherine will attend Olds College in the Agricultural Management Program.
“Canadian youth are the future of our sector. This scholarship program gives young leaders the opportunity to pursue their studies and discover the almost limitless career options this multi-faceted industry has to offer,” said Bibeau. “Supporting the next generation will ensure a resilient food supply chain and keep the agriculture and agri-food sector strong.”
"It's great to see how passionate and well-versed Saskatchewan youth are about agriculture and the potential of this vital Saskatchewan industry," Marit said. "Our agriculture sector is growing, and it's important for us to effectively communicate to everyone in Saskatchewan about the abundant career opportunities available in this industry."
The Agriculture Student Scholarship is funded through the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership, a five-year, $3.5 billion investment by Canada's federal, provincial and territorial governments that supports Canada's agri-food and agri-products sectors. This includes $1 billion in federal programs and activities and a $2.5 billion commitment that is cost-shared 60 per cent federally and 40 per cent provincially/territorially for programs that are designed and delivered by provinces and territories.
More information on the scholarship winners and their submissions can be found on the provincial government's website.
