Globally Connecting Today's
Agriculture Leaders
As a Scholar
The Nuffield Canada Scholarship is a prestigious rural leadership program available to anyone mid-career who is involved in agriculture in any capacity of primary production, industry or governance. This $20,000 scholarship provides individuals with a unique opportunity to:
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Access the world’s most extensive network in food and farming,
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Achieve personal development through travel and study, and
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Deliver long-term benefits to Canadian farmers and growers, and to the industry as a whole.
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Each year scholarships are awarded to individuals who are expected to assume positions of greater influence in their field in the future.
View Nuffield Canada Information Brochure here &
Learn more about Nuffield Scholarship Application here.
MEET OUR 2024 SCHOLARS
Nuffield Canada has awarded 6 scholarships with thanks to our generous investors.
Sally Bernard - Freetown, PEI
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Sally Bernard is co-owner of Barnyard Organics in Freetown, PE, an organic grains and livestock farm as well as a feed mill serving the Maritime region. Sally’s topic will explore the incorporation of managed grazing within cropping rotations, particularly under organic or regenerative farming systems. She will examine the infrastructure, methods and ideas behind including livestock in rotation with crops.
PEI Department of Agriculture Scholarship Recipient
Cheryl Haskett is a corporate facilitator, speaker and the Founder of Udderly Ridiculous – an award-winning goat milk ice cream company and Udderly Ridiculous Farm Life a multi award-winning agri-tourism destination located in Bright, ON. Cheryl’s topic will examine the growth and impacts of agri-tourism on primary agriculture, tourism and the community. The project will aim to offer a framework for agri-tourism in Canada to offer a consistent definition, criteria and standards of practice.
Cheryl Haskett - Bright, ON
Nuffield Canada Scholarship Recipient
Lauren Benoit - London, ON
​Lauren Benoit is a Technical Solutions Agronomist with Bayer CropScience in Southwestern Ontario. She leads the research and knowledge transfer strategy for all Dekalb seed and Bayer crop protection products in the territory. She has a Masters degree in Plant Agriculture from the University of Guelph. Outside of work she is an active member of the Grain Farmers of Ontario Research and Innovation committee and enjoys spending time outdoors; camping, hiking and travelling. Her topic of study will bring together her technical agronomic training, farming and research experience to focus on understanding research collaborations between public, private and industry groups to leverage research dollars and knowledge sharing more effectively across organizations.
Grain Farmers of Ontario Scholarship Recipient
Matt McIntosh is a freelance journalist, communications professional, and grain farmer based near Wheatley, Ontario. Operating under his brand, The Rural PhilosoFer, Matt maintains particular focus on agriculture, science, environment, social, and other issues. He is investigating programs, initiatives, and other efforts to help farmers (as well as landowners more generally) re-establish or conserve ecologically and culturally significant spaces – without harming farm viability.
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Nuffield Canada Scholarship Recipient
Matt McIntosh - Leamington, ON
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Tatum Claypool is a citizen of the Métis Nation of Saskatchewan and a Senior Relationship Manager on the FCC Indigenous Financing Team and resides in North Battleford, Saskatchewan. Previous to FCC, Tatum owned a small, fine dining restaurant for twelve years on the West Coast of British Columbia and is a certified Sommelier. Tatum’s topic of study is the Resurgence of Indigenous People in Agriculture.
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Farm Credit Canada Scholarship Recipient
Tatum Claypool - North Battleford, SK
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Renny W. Grilz, PAg is the co-owner of Blazing Star Wildflower Seed Company in Aberdeen, SK and the Resource Management Officer for Meewasin Valley Authority in Saskatoon, SK. Renny’s studies will examine the how native seed industry networks can meet native seed supply requirements for global biodiversity restoration objectives. The second part of his project will look at the potential development of a native plant seedbank for the Prairies.Renny was presented the Distinguished Agrologist designation from the Saskatchewan Institute of Agrologist, in 2023.
Renny Grilz - Aberdeen, SK
Nature Conservancy of Canada Scholarship Recipient
MEET OUR 2023 SCHOLARS
Nuffield Canada has awarded 5 scholarships with thanks to our generous investors.
Justin Cantafio - Dartmouth, NS
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A passionate advocate for local and sustainable food systems, Justin Cantafio is the executive director of Farmers’ Markets of Nova Scotia and a co-founder of Canadian Farmers’ Markets.
He is also President of the Centre for Local Prosperity, a charitable organization specializing in economic re-localization across Atlantic Canada. Justin’s topic of study will be to take a global lens in exploring the power of the world's public markets to build sustainable, resilient, and adaptable local food systems in Canada.
Nova Scotia Department of Agriculture Scholarship Recipient
Making valuable connections is Craig's passion. As the owner and producer of Rural Roots Canada, a multi-media platform serving agricultural producers, businesses and organizations throughout the prairies and beyond. Craig’s topic will examine the media’s role in agriculture and the influence it has on consumers’ perspective of the industry.
Craig Lester - Calgary, AB
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Alberta Wheat Commission Scholarship Recipient
Dr Stephanie Lam - Guelph, ON
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Driven and inspired, Dr. Stephanie Lam is a Research Associate at the University of Guelph advancing genomic technologies in beef production. Although a researcher by training, she also actively serves the community by helping new researchers in agricultural science build communication and leadership skills. She will be studying genetic and genomic approaches for sustainable beef production.
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Semex Canada Scholarship Recipient
Emily Ford, is a Senior Agronomist with Quattro Ventures in Bow Island AB, which serves a crucial role in crop production through real-time field monitoring and providing solutions to ensure top crop performance on a complex 23,000 acre farm. Her topic of study will be regenerative agriculture in potato production systems.
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McCain Foods Ltd. Scholarship Recipient
Emily Ford - Medicine Hat, AB
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A leader in sustainability, Kirk co-founded and led Blindman Brewing to become the first brewery in Canada to use a new technology to capture and reuse CO2 produced during fermentation. He plans to study how to create value for grain and oilseed growers in the rapidly changing sustainability and carbon pricing landscape.
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Canadian Canola Growers Association Scholarship Recipient
Kirk Zembal - Edmonton, AB
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