The sky's the limit for Ontario GROWMARK Intern

Stephanie Campbell of Chatham, and GROWMARK Summer Intern, was one of three college and university students to receive a $1,000 scholarship from GROWMARK this month in Bloomington, Illinois.

This summer, Campbell worked at AGRIS Co-operative in agronomy as a crop intern. Her special project was working with the GPS aerial crop scouting equipment to develop a new service that AGRIS could offer its customers and members.   

To apply for this scholarship, Stephanie submitted an essay that described her summer experience and the impact her project had on the future success of the co-operative as well as her future career opportunities.

In her essay, Stephanie wrote, “One of the biggest assets I will take into my future career opportunities will be the value of asking questions. The environment I worked in throughout this internship was very open to questions and opinions. The contacts I have made in the industry throughout the summer are invaluable and will be utilized in the future as well. 

  

I hope to continue to be a part of the GROWMARK family moving forward. The potential is great, the values stand true and the future of the business is strong.”

Stephanie is entering her fourth year at the University of Guelph and is majoring in food, agriculture and resource economics. She is also co-managing the OAC Leadership Conference and enjoys being involved in College Royal as well as other events throughout the school year. She is active with her local 4-H Association as a member of local clubs and as the county webmaster. This fall, Stephanie will be participating in the Queen of the Furrow competition. 

GROWMARK invests in future talent by providing more than $44,000 in scholarships annually and has been supporting college and university students with scholarships since the early 1960s. Today, they are awarded to students majoring in agriculture or accounting at 16 universities and colleges throughout Ontario and the United States.

To see a demonstration of the GPS aerial equipment Campbell worked with this summer, click on the video below:

A new way to tap into future technology, today!

Introducing FS PARTNERS Touching Tomorrow Today Technology Tour

Touching Tomorrow Today might not be easy to say five times fast, but neither is keeping up with the fast-pace world of agriculture science: And that is why the FS PARTNERS’ 3T technology tour was introduced.

On one of the hottest days of the summer, three tractors pulled over 110 participants on mobile bleachers throughout the corn and soybean fields at the Syngenta Research Farm in Plattsville. At each stop, the group heard from experts on various topics such as biological pest control, new and innovative corn traits and the very controversial topic of bee health and the use of new products and technologies available to ensure bee safety.

With eight highly technical topics on the agenda, the tour demonstrated innovative technologies available today, and in the future, to help farmers maximize their yields, reduce environmental impact, and optimize the way they do business.

Don McLean, GROWMARK Ontario agronomy business director came up with the idea of the 3T tech tour, saying that the program utilizes GROWMARK's FS Green Plan Solutions® program, designed specifically to help customers meet their performance goals. “We are providing the best agronomic recommendations and year-round support for our customers’ operations from local, knowledgeable and professional crop specialists,” says McLean.

Stewart Cressman of
 Crystal Brook Farms

During the tour, I managed to track down one progressive farmer who spoke to me about the importance of these types of educational events for his operation. Stewart Cressman, of Crystal Brook Farms operates a fourth generation farm, operating 1000 acres of combined cash and feed crops and a 400 head beef feedlot, just southwest of Kitchener. Cressman commented that the day was most beneficial to him. “It is an excellent way to showcase new technology and to see what new tools are in the toolbox for producers down the road; and I especially like to support companies like Syngenta that are very progressive in bringing new products to the market and who work closely with the universities and government in research and development” says Cressman.

Cressman has attended the last three years of Pursuit of Maximum Yield events and said that since then, he has moved more of his business over to FS. “I am impressed with the knowledge and programs they provide,” he adds.

 FS PARTNERS partnered with Syngenta and Bayer CropScience to bring these technologies to its customers.

 FS PARTNERS customers toured the fields of  Syngenta's Research Farm in Plattsville
during the first Touching Tomorow Today Technology Tour.

Hastings County youth wins GROWMARK essay contest for Ontario

"Conquering world hunger starts with one person’s ideas expanding into a need for everyone worldwide to come together and work as one nation, one world,” writes Nicole Lauzon.

This is the second year for the GROWMARK essay contest offered to high school students who are members of 4-H in Ontario and Nicole Lauzon of Frankford is the recipient. The theme of this year’s contest was “Fighting Domestic and Global Hunger.”

As contest winner, Nicole received a $500 award from GROWMARK. At the Hastings County 4-H Association annual banquet and awards night in October, she will be presented with a certificate of achievement and the Hastings 4-H Association will receive an additional $300 to help support future programs in her local community.

Four provincial runners-up each received a $125 scholarship. The runners-up and their 4-H Associations, in alphabetical order are: Dennis Catt of St. Thomas (Elgin County 4-H); Julie French of Caledon (Peel County 4-H); Matthew Gerrits of Wyoming (Middlesex County 4-H) and Valerie Robinson of Ayton (Grey County 4-H). To learn more about this contest and other opportunities for youth, visit GROWMARK's youth commitments and 4-H Ontario's scholarships and grants. 

Click here to read the full version of  Nicole's essay.