2024 Awards & Scholarships

The Ontario Sheep Farmers (OSF) Emerging Leader Award celebrates and recognizes distinguished younger members of Ontario Sheep Farmers who are socially responsible leaders and innovators, currently making notable contributions to the Ontario sheep industry with significant impact.

NOMINEES MUST:

• The nominee must be in his/her first 10 years of sheep farming
• The nominee must be a member of OSF in good standing
• The nominee must not have previously received an OSF Emerging Leader Award
• The nominee must have achieved significant accomplishments within the categories as outlined in the application form
• The nominee must have shown outstanding promise for continuing service and leadership. Specific examples of his/her continuing activities must be provided.

NOMINATORS MUST:

• Have known the nominee professionally for a minimum of two years. Nominators are not required to be a member of OSF
• Demonstrate, with examples, how the nominee has met the criteria
• Not be employed by OSF, nor a relative of the nominee

* A producer can nominate themselves if they meet the nominee criteria listed

SELECTION PROCESS:

• Nominations will be reviewed by the OSF Awards Committee
• Each nominee shall be considered individually and confidentially and will be judged according to the criteria listed above and the information provided in the application form.
• The award may be presented annually, but there is no requirement that the award be given each year.
• For more information, please contact the Ontario Sheep Farmers office.

AWARD PRESENTATION

• Each recipient of the Ontario Sheep Farmers Emerging Leader Award receives a congratulatory package, including a certificate that recognizes their accomplishments and $1,500 which can be used towards a leadership traning programs such as AALP.
• The award shall be presented during the OSF Annual Meeting, and it will be given in name of the Ontario Sheep Farmers.

Application form in Fillable PDF click here

Awarded to an Ontario shepherd who has made significant contributions to the advancement of the Ontario sheep industry. This award is presented to an Ontario shepherd who exemplifies the values of leadership and responsible sheep husbandry.

Application form in Fillable PDF click here

Awarded in acknowledgment and appreciation of long-standing contributions to the Ontario sheep industry, recipients of this award have demonstrated outstanding dedication, leadership, and an innovative spirit. This award is presented to an Ontario shepherd or industry service provider in recognition of their significant contributions to the advancement of the Ontario sheep industry over many years of service.

Application form in Fillable PDF click here 

This award, sponsored in part by OSF, Mapleseed and the Ontario Forage Council, recognizes individual sheep farmers who are doing an outstanding job of pasture management. The Mapleseed Pasture Award is a way of encouraging sheep farmers to implement pasture management strategies to maximize production per acre.

The winner of the award receives a cash prize of $250.

Application Form click here 

Funds for this award have come from donations made in memoriam of Ontario sheep industry leaders. This fund was started with donations that have been made in memory of the late Bob Irvine, an Ontario sheep farmer who was a strong supporter of continuous learning. He was a dedicated member of the industry, with a focus on sheep genetics and was a mentor to many.

This $500 cash award is open to applicants who are wanting to further their leadership development in Ontario's sheep industry. This award can be used by the successful applicant to participate in postgraduate or industry education opportunities and leadership courses.

Individual registered Ontario sheep farmers or those who are involved in the Ontario sheep industry (i.e. veterinarian students) are eligible to apply for this award.

Applicants must complete the application form, submit two reference letters along with either an essay (of at least 500 words) or a two to three-minute video answering the following question:

• What do you see as your contribution to the Ontario sheep industry in the next five years? 10 years?

This $500 cash scholarship is open to applicants who are enrolled in their first or second year at an accredited university, college or apprenticeship program (shearing schools and programs qualify). Applicants do not have to be enrolled in an agriculture program to be eligible for the award. 

Applicants must be one of the following:

• A registered sheep producer as of April 30, 2024
• Have a parent/guardian registered as a sheep producer as of April 30, 2024 or
• A member of a 4-H Ontario sheep club

• What strategy or strategies do you think the sheep industry should employ to address public trust?
• If you were going to produce sheep, what management style - annual lambing, accelerated lambing or a combination of the two - which would you choose and why?
• Give a detailed description of the biosecurity setup and explain why this is important to the individual sheep farmer and the industry
• What do you feel is the sheep industry's greatest weakness, and therefore greatest challenge? How would you address that if you could?

Application form in Fillable PDF click here