Mary Perlmutter Scholarship
The scholarship is named after COG past-president and long-time organic grower Mary Perlmutter. The intent of the award is to promote and encourage research of benefit to organic growers.
Please note: We are not accepting applications at this time.
Announcing the 2007 Scholarship Recipient...
Julia Ostertag, 2007 Mary Perlmutter Scholarship winner, is starting her master's research at the University of British Columbia in Curriculum Studies through the Faculty of Education.
Her research thesis, currently titled How does your garden grow? Barriers to school garden projects in Vancouver , B.C. , will explore the barriers to the widespread development of school garden projects, based on her experiences and growing literature indicating the significance of these projects for developing ecological awareness. This research will be grounded through her participation in a unique educational project at the UBC farm, the Intergenerational Landed Learning Project, which brings classes from Grades 4-7 to discover organic agriculture through intergenerational learning with community elders.
Julia's interest in agriculture has been developing since her Bachelor at Queen's University in Development Studies and Geography. After completing her undergraduate studies, she completed an organic farming apprenticeship at the well-known Ontario farm, Meeting Place Organic, with Tony and Fran McQuail. Since then, Julia has worked on numerous farms, many with educational facets (such as the organic gardens at the Falls Brook Centre in New Brunswick ), as well as at IFOAM in Bonn, Germany. In 2005, Julia completed a Bachelor of Education at Lakehead University , qualifying her to teach Environmental Sciences and English Literature.
Past Scholarship Recipients
Results of the research are reported in issues of The Canadian Organic Grower.
2006 Ian Mauro, University of Manitoba whose Ph.D. research project, entitled Farmer focused risk analysis of genetically modified herbicide-tolerant canola and wheat in the Canadian Prairies , explores farmers’ perception and experience regarding the risks of genetically modified crops, specifically herbicide tolerant varieties of canola and wheat, on the Canadian Prairies. The research recognizes the value of farmers’ knowledge with respect to the agronomic, environmental and social impacts of GM agro-biotechnology. He has collaborated closely throughout his research with the Saskatchewan Organic Directorate (SOD), the National Farmers Union (NFU) and the Harvest Moon Society (HMS). Ian Mauro is an advocate for farmers’ rights to save their seed and practice GM-free agriculture, working closely with small-scale producers to develop localized networks of sustainable communities throughout Canada . The findings of his qualitative research were released in 2005 as the documentary film “Seeds of Change”. He has also completed research videos on Percy Schmeiser and SOD’s legal challenge to the biotechnology industry, as well as a fundraising DVD for SOD including a speech given by David Suzuki.
2005 Shauna MacKinnon, University of Guelph was investigating the social and economic links between organic producers and rural communities in the Ontario counties of Essex, Lambton and Kent. These areas have historically been dependent on agriculture and are currently under stress from intensive industrial agriculture. The research methodology includes 80 in-person interviews with organic farmers with the goal of mapping the farm product supply chain from inputs to the final consumer. Shauna hopes to document the contribution that organic farmers make to their local economies and social networks. It is hoped that the results of this research can influence land planning processes at both the local and national levels. Shauna's Masters Thesis, entitled Investigating opportunities for rural development: An assessment of socio-economic linkages between organic farms and communities in Ontario is supervised by Dr. John Smithers in the Department of Geography.
2004 Alison Nelson, University of Manitoba was investigating organic and conventional crop rotations and examining how these rotations influence soil conservation. Crop rotations can be used to help solve some agronomic problems encountered in farming systems, including weed control and soil erosion. Her project will help to understand rotations currently used by organic and conventional farmers in Canada, and how effective these rotations are in reducing soil erosion.
2003 Julia Wagner, University of British Columbia was selected for her research on “Soil Health Assessment in Organic Farming Systems” . The purpose of her research is to describe organic farmers' current approaches to soil health assessment and to investigate the potential of a collaborative, bioregionally adapted soil health assessment strategy to contribute to organic farmers' capacity for soil stewardship.
2002 Alida Janmaat, PhD candidate, University of British Columbia researching potential development of resistance to Bt subsp. Kurstaki in greehouse vegetable populations of Cabbage Loopers and to develop a Bt resistance management plan for use by greenhouse growers.
2001 Ian Scott of the University of Ottawa, Dept of Biology is the $3000 Mary Perlmutter Scholarship recipient. Ian is studying the efficacy and toxicity of botanical insecticide formulations derived from pepper (Piper spp.) extracts. Ian believes that by "combining secondary plant compounds of recognized insecticidal, synergistic and antioxidant activity, it is proposed that an effective, affordable and safe botanical alternative can be produced for the organic market. The application of these extracts in insect pest control appears plausible since a low degree of processing is required, which in turn significantly decreases the cost of the botanical preparations and creates a competitive product".
2000 The EJLB Foundation has generously provided $3000 for the Mary Perlmutter Scholarship, and we have decided to grant three $1000 scholarships, to:
Anastasia Marginet of the University of Manitoba for her research on modelling weed seedling emergence.
Katrina Nolan of the University of British Columbia for her proposed research on the transition from conventional to organic farming.
Johanna Wandel of the University of Guelph for her research on the structure of the Ontario organic sector. Results are reported in the Winter 2002 issue of Eco-Farm & Garden: "Organic farmers in Ontario" by Johanna Wandel and John Smithers.
1999 The scholarship was awarded to Nancy Thornton of Dalhousie University in Halifax. Nancy is working on a B.Sc. thesis (with Dr. David Patriquin) entitled "The effects of field age and crop rotation on nutrient cycling on an organic farm." Nancy will evaluate the significance of field age and rotational phase for nutrient limitation on an organic farm by quantifying nutrient flows and conducting replicated nutrient limitation experiments in different rotational stages and field ages.
1998 The scholarship was awarded to Suzanne Gagnon of Carleton University in Ottawa. Suzanne explored links between organic farms and sustainable rural communities, looking at marketing strategies and carrying out an assessment of the importance of certification and standards for the organic community and consumers. Her field work was carried out in Nova Scotia.
1997 The scholarship was awarded to Nathan Boyd of Nova Scotia Agricultural College in Truro. His research into living mulches for potatoes was his thesis project. Results are reported in the Spring 1999 issue of Eco-Farm & Garden: "Planting "weeds" in the potato patch".
