Agriculture Minister David Marit says it's great to see how passionate and well-versed Saskatchewan youth are about agriculture and the potential of this vital Saskatchewan industry.

"Our agriculture sector is growing, and it's important for us to effectively communicate to everyone in Saskatchewan about the abundant career opportunities available in this industry."

The top prize of $4000 was awarded to Caitlyn Spratt from Melfort.  

Her essay discussed Saskatchewan's sustainability efforts, which included implementing practices like zero till and GPS technology as well as addressing the environmental benefits of cattle grazing on the province's native rangelands. 

Caitlyn plans to further her education at the University of Saskatchewan at the College of Agriculture and Bioresources. 

Danielle Dyok from Saskatoon, Katherine Andree from Val Marie, and Emery Cholin from Kerrobert were all awarded $2,000 as runners-up for the scholarship. 

They will both be attending the University of Saskatchewan - College of Agriculture and Bioresources this fall.

Katherine Andree plans to attend Olds College in the Agricultural Management Program. 

The Agriculture Student Scholarship is funded through the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership, a five-year, $3.5 billion investment by Canada's federal, provincial, and territorial governments that supports Canada's agri-food and agri-products sectors.