Global Agriculture

Rural-based charities a little richer with the help of Canadian farmers and the Bayer Fund’s Canada’s Farmers Grow Communities Program

15 February 2022, Calgary: Sixty-six (66) charities and not-for profit groups across Canada have each received a $2,500 community grant to improve the lives of people in their communities thanks to nominations from Canadian farmers.

In mid-November, the Canada’s Farmers Grow Communities (CFGC) program (www.canadasfarmers.ca), supported by the Bayer Fund, completed its random draw and awarded the winning charities and not-for-profits with a total of $165,000 in funding to support their work and community projects.

The Bayer Fund is a non-profit organization dedicated to strengthening the communities where Bayer customers and employees live and work by providing funding for food and nutrition, education, and community development projects.  

Also Read: 3rd PMFAI SML Annual Agchem Awards; List of winners

“There is so much need for financial support in rural communities across our country, whether it’s to rebuild community infrastructure or deliver important programming for youth, adults and seniors,” said Trish Jordan, senior business partner, government and industry affairs with Bayer’s Crop Science division. “It’s great to see farmers engage in the program and recommend charities and not-for-profits in their community who are really doing the important work that makes life better for rural residents.”

First introduced in 2012, the 2021 CFGC program received almost 700 farmer applications and charity suggestions.

The program received many suggestions from farmers about how local groups in their communities could benefit from the grants, with recreation; community improvement projects; agricultural societies; fire and health organizations; and rural daycares garnering the most support.

Farmers living and working in the Maritimes, Quebec, Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta and Northeastern B.C. had from mid-January to the end of September to submit their entries by visiting the Canada’s Farmers website and completing an online application form.