Scholarship winners showcase a bright future for local agriculture
- May 4
- 3 min read
By Luke Edwards
The future of farming is far from certain, but locally talent is one thing the industry need not worry about.
Last month the Niagara Federation of Agriculture recognized four talented young people currently furthering their knowledge and skills, and who have a plan to put those skills to good use in the agricultural sector. They were this year’s recipients of the Jeff Yungblut Memorial Scholarship, and the Niagara Federation of Agriculture Scholarship.
Winners of the Jeff Yungblut scholarship included Emily O’Connell and Caleb Fretz, while Tessa Fois and Gabby Kott won the NFA scholarship.
While they’re all taking their own unique paths, their plans to contribute to agriculture in the future will be welcomed by those in the industry.
Kott is currently attending the University of Guelph, where she’s working towards her bachelor of arts in agriculture while majoring in animal science. She grew up on a cash crop and purebred shorthorn cattle farm in West Lincoln. Her passion seems to be falling on the animal side of things and not the plant side, as she wants to become a livestock veterinarian.
“I am particularly interested in improving herd health, productivity, and sustainability within the beef industry. I plan to use my education to support producers and advance animal welfare and agricultural practices in Ontario and beyond,” she said in her application.
Fois, meanwhile, is more interested in the business of agriculture.
“At first, I thought I was going to do something very business like and live in a big city,” she said. “And honestly I am not sure why I thought that because farming and living in the country is the best part about my life.”
So instead, Fois is now planning to use the skills she’s gaining at Western University’s Ivey Business School and apply them to the ag sector. She’s had some internships and summer work for ADM and Farm Credit Canada, giving her a glimpse into the business world of agriculture.
Fois grew up on a broiler operation in Wellandport.
Fretz is one of the two Jeff Yungblut Memorial Scholarship winners, and is currently working through his PhD studies at Purdue University, after receiving a biological engineering degree from Guelph.
“My research focuses on controlled agrochemical delivery, including nanoparticle-based systems for systemic pesticide delivery and polymer composite systems for sustained-release fertilizers,” Fretz said, in his application.
Once finished schooling, his goal is to enter the research world with a focus on agricultural technology.
He grew up on a dairy farm turned cash crop operation in Stevensville, but spent three years as a child in Croatia, where his family moved to help support local farmers following the Yugoslavian War.
Though her son is south of the border continuing his studies, mom Heather said the award is a special one for Caleb.
“It means a lot to him to stay connected with his roots in Niagara,” she said.
Finally, O’Connell fell in love with farm life when she began taking horseback riding lessons in 2020.
“I started volunteering my weekends there and from there I bought my own horse a few years later,” she said.
She’s currently studying agriculture at Guelph.
The Jeff Yungblut scholarship is made possible thanks to the successful memorial hockey tournament that takes place each year in his name. Yungblut died unexpectedly in 2013, but grew up on a dairy and grape farm.
He was a familiar face around the hockey arena, where he played and coached throughout his life. After his death the family came up with the idea of holding an annual tournament in his honour, with money raised going to local causes.
“We wanted to keep his memory alive,” said Jeff’s father Jim.
And they’ve clearly succeeded. In the nearly 10 years the tournament has run, it grew from six teams to 34. Last year they managed to give $10,000 to local charity and non-profits.
“It’s quite a community that comes together to do this,” said Jeff’s mother Nancy.
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