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Ontario processing vegetable industry bursaries available

The Ontario Processing Vegetable Growers (OPVG) and the Ontario Fruit & Vegetable Processors Association (OF&VPA) are continuing with a bursary fund to support and encourage individuals pursuing a career in any aspect of the processing vegetable industry.

These organizations are working together to ensure that there are new individuals who will have the interest, skills, and abilities to further develop and grow this sector of Ontario’s agri-food economy.

Sponsor donations allow the OPVG and the OF&VPA to offer up to four bursaries of $2,000 each, for a total of $8,000.

These include bursaries in memory of former OPVG directors Jim Whitson and Ken Epp. Note that the Jim Whitson bursary is awarded to a student attending Ridgetown College. The award in memory of Ken Epp receives an additional $1,000 from the fund established in his name by the OPVG.

Applicants must be a resident of Ontario and registered as a full-time student at any college or university entering the second, third, fourth or post-graduate year of study which relates in some aspect to the processing vegetable industry.

Second-year Ridgetown horticulture student and 2018 bursary recipient Josephine McCormick used the award to help cover living expenses as she approached her goal of expanding on her current road-side fruit and vegetable stand.

Second-year Ridgetown agriculture student and 2018 Kenn Epp Memorial Award winner Natasha Lugtigheid used her bursary to cover tuition and living expenses and is currently working as a crop scout for a local, family-run Agronomy business.

Applications are due October 15th. The Bursary Application Form is available online at www.opvg.org
or on request from the OPVG office (519-681-1875).

Applications are accepted by regular mail at 435 Consortium Court, London, ON N6E 2S8, by e-mail at opvg@opvg.org, by fax at 519-685-5719, or via online submissions at www.opvg.org/opvg-bursary/.