Churchbridge, SK (Sept 9, 2024) – Aliera Chernoff of Strathmore, AB and Danielle Nagazina of Calgary, AB have been selected as the Outstanding Young Farmers Memorial Scholarship winners for 2024. Each winner receives a $1,000 scholarship to support their post-secondary agricultural education4.
Aliera Chernoff’s passion for agriculture comes from an appreciation for the vital role farming plays in food security and nourishing the communities of Canada. Her connection to horses and the farming way of life has inspired her to complete a Bachelor of Applied Science Degree in Agribusiness at Olds College. For Aliera, “there is a sense of fulfillment and purpose that comes from working in agriculture whether it is seeing a calf who was struggling a week ago running around or seeing the hard work in your crop result in high yields. This lifestyle embodies values of stewardship, self-reliance and community that are deeply rooted in Canadian culture.”
Danielle Nagazina feels school is her ticket to successfully making the world a better place. By obtaining her Horticulture Technology Diploma at Olds, she will gain valuable information that will impact her ability to open a greenhouse. She will then be able to influence the type of food being grown to ensure that she is providing sufficient, safe and healthy food to her community. Having faced food insecurity growing up, Danielle feels a career in agriculture will help her to “meet the needs of those facing adversity by creating an environment where individuals can thrive and avoid food insecurity.”
The award includes two annual scholarships – one to an individual who has completed at least one year of post-secondary study in agriculture, and the other to someone who has completed high school and is enrolling in a post-secondary education in agriculture. As part of the application process, applicants are asked to write an essay about why they are passionate about agriculture in Canada.
Full details and application forms for the OYF Memorial Scholarships are available at https://www.oyfcanada.com/language/en/nominations-criteria/scholarship/
The deadline for nominations for the scholarships is June 30, 2025.
Celebrating 44 years, Canada’s Outstanding Young Farmers’ program is an annual competition to recognize farmers that exemplify excellence in their profession and promote the tremendous contribution of agriculture. Open to participants 18 to 39 years of age, making the majority of income from on-farm sources, participants are selected from seven regions across Canada, with two national winners chosen each year. The program is sponsored nationally by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, CIBC, John Deere, Bayer, Sollio Agriculture, Meridian Manufacturing and CN with media sponsors Glacier FarmMedia and WS and video sponsor, Bamboo Shoots. It is supported nationally by BDO.
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For more information contact:
Carla Kaeding, Program Manager, Canada’s Outstanding Young Farmers
306.896.7833 ·kaedingc@hotmail.com · www.oyfcanada.com