Post-secondary students will have until 5 p.m. on Saturday, January 31, 2026, to submit their applications for scholarships offered by the Brant County Federation of Agriculture (BCFA
Angela Leach, a director for the BCFA, explained that there are two separate $1,500 scholarships up for grabs: the Open Award and the Agricultural Award.
“The first scholarship is called the Open Award, and it’s specifically for students who are children, grandchildren, or are family of current Ontario Federation of Agriculture (OFA) members,” she said. “Now, it’s important to note that those who are applying must already be enrolled in any post-secondary program except for agriculture.“
Leach explained that the reason the Open Award excludes agriculture programs is because the Agricultural Award is specifically designed for Brantford or County of Brant residents that are enrolled in an agriculture agribusiness-related program.
“And for that particular scholarship, you don’t actually need to be related to an OFA member to be eligible,” she said. “It’s designed to be open and inclusive because if you’re someone who wants to study something related to agriculture, we want to support you.”
According to the BCFA’s awards and bursaries webpage, applicants should note the following eligibility requirements and considerations before applying.
- The applicant must be a resident of Brantford-Brant.
- They can only apply for one of the two awards, not both.
- Unsuccessful applicants may re-apply in the following year(s) if still eligible.
- No individual will be eligible for a second award.
- Incomplete applications will not be accepted and applications received after the deadline will not be considered.
- The awards will be available to full-time students currently enrolled at an accredited college or university within Canada.
- The award money will be paid directly to the appropriate college or university.
- In the event of a tie, a telephone interview may be required.
- The awards will be presented by the Executive of the Brant County Federation of Agriculture.
In addition to filling out the application, the following information must be submitted: A copy or photocopy of your latest official transcript, and the name and contact information of two references (family is not eligible to be a reference).
Once the applications are received, they’ll be reviewed by an external selection committee from neighbouring counties, and the winners will be advised around early February.
Leach went on to say that education and supporting local students is a large part of the BCFA’s mandate and something the organization has been doing for years.
“We’ve been providing these scholarships for as long as I can remember and it’s because we really want to support the youth in the community,” she said. “It’s really tough these days for kids to go to school, so it’s very rewarding to be able to support them. I can remember when I was a student, and I was always so thankful to receive some sort of bursary or award, and so for me, I’m so glad to be a part of an organization that wants to give back like that.”
As per tradition, the two students who are selected to receive the scholarships will be invited to attend the BCFA’s 85th Anniversary Banquet on Saturday, March 7, 2026 at the Blessed Sacrament Parish Hall in Burford, where they will be recognized as a recipient.
Leach also added that the BCFA will also be announcing the winner of the Brant Farm of the Year Award at the banquet as well.
The purpose of the award is to honour a farming operation that embodies the values of community leadership, intergenerational commitment and sustainable agricultural practices that keep farming viable and rural communities strong.
“This is another award that we’ve been doing for years now but we haven’t given it out since the pandemic, so we’re officially bringing it back for our 85th anniversary,” she said. “Now, it is nomination-based and so the deadline to submit those nominations will also be Saturday, January 31 at 5 p.m.”
“For this award, we’re looking for a farm that’s positioning itself for the future,” Leach continued. “Farms make up the livelihood, the culture and the fabric of our rural communities, and so we want to recognize those farmers that are going above and beyond, whether it’s adopting new technology to be more sustainable and more economically viable, doing things to engage the next generation, or just contributing to our rural communities in general.”
The BCFA is a county unit of the OFA run by a board of volunteer directors. Its mission is to support, protect and celebrate the industry while advocating for issues impacting local agriculture.
Made up of farmers, producers, and agricultural professionals from all sectors, the BCFA’s primary purpose is to promote the interests of agriculture in the County, advocate for policy changes at local, provincial, and federal levels, and to provide valuable resources and support for its members, including community awards and scholarships for high school and post-secondary students.
Kimberly De Jong’s reporting is funded by the Canadian government through its Local Journalism Initiative.The funding allows her to report rural and agricultural stories from Blandford-Blenheim and Brant County. Reach her at kimberly.dejong@brantbeacon.ca.
