Monsanto Fund Launches 2014 Canada's Farmers Grow Communities Program

WINNIPEG, MANITOBA--(Marketwired - Jan. 14, 2014) - The Monsanto Fund, the philanthropic arm of the Monsanto Company, announced today that Canada's Farmers Grow Communities is now accepting applications for 2014.

Now in its third full year (a pilot project ran in 2011 in Eastern Canada), Canada's Farmers Grow Communities is a program aimed at strengthening rural communities and equipping local charitable and not-for-profit groups with funds to carry out much-needed community work aimed at improving the lives of the rural residents they support and serve.

In 2014, the program has expanded to provide a total of 66 grants, each valued at $2,500, to charitable and not-for-profit groups nominated by farmers in their local communities.

"We are always looking for ways to support farmers and rural communities through our corporate giving activities," said Trish Jordan, public and industry affairs director with Monsanto Canada. "The Canada's Farmers Grow Communities Program has generated some terrific ideas and is supporting programs or services that are really needed and important to rural communities and residents."

Since the program's inception in 2011, 128 community groups nominated by farmers in Quebec, Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta and Northeastern B.C. have received $320,000 in grant money to support charitable and not-for-profit groups in their community.

Last year's program generated a number of different ideas from farmers on how local groups in their community could benefit from the grants. Rural-based charitable groups were also much more active in making their needs known using the "Idea Map," an online tool, available at www.CanadasFarmers.ca, which allowed them to suggest a cause and find local farmers to support that cause by generating an entry.

When considering an application, farmers can focus on a wide variety of ideas from agricultural societies, playgrounds, daycares and school projects to community sporting organizations, libraries and health/service groups. Supporting local leadership programs such as 4-H clubs have also proven to be popular. A complete listing of last year's winners is posted online at the www.CanadasFarmers.ca

In 2014, two (2) $2,500 grants will be awarded in each of 33 different territories across the grain growing regions of northeastern BC (Peace River district), Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec and the Maritime Provinces.

The application submission period runs January 14, 2014 through September 30, 2014. All it takes is a visit to www.CanadasFarmers.ca where complete contest rules and an online application form are available.

"Farmers have some great ideas about the types of programs and services they wish to support," said Jordan. "With just a little bit of support, they are helping to make a huge difference to those in need in their communities. It feels great to be able to give back in this way and with the help of the Monsanto Fund, we are pleased to be able to help farmers grow their communities."

Winners will be selected by random draw on or about November 1, 2014 and notified by November 15, 2014.

About The Monsanto Fund

The Monsanto Fund, the philanthropic arm of the Monsanto Company, is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to strengthening the communities where farmers and Monsanto Company employees live and work. You can learn more at www.monsantofund.org.

Headquartered in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Monsanto Canada Inc. is part of the larger global Monsanto family. Monsanto Company is an agricultural company and a leading global provider of technology-based solutions and agricultural products that improve farm productivity and food quality. Monsanto remains focused on enabling both small-holder and large-scale farmers to produce more from their land while conserving more of our world's natural resources such as water and energy. Learn more about our business and our commitments at www.monsanto.ca.