Grow Ag Leaders Scholarship Program Includes Cotton Belt States

America’s Farmers Grow Ag Leaders, a scholarship program to promote careers in agriculture, is now launching in 40 states, with more than $500,000 worth of scholarships available.

Sponsored by the Monsanto Fund, the program provides $1,500 college scholarships to students pursuing a degree related to agriculture. Starting November 15, high school seniors and college students in Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Tennessee and other eligible states can apply for this opportunity.

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Grow Ag Leaders helps engage future generations in agriculture by raising awareness of the broad range of career opportunities in the industry and by supporting their college education. The program was created in response to farmer requests to keep rural youth involved in agriculture. According to the USDA, nearly 55,000 jobs in agriculture are available every year. Many of the nation’s largest land-grant institutions report job placement rates above 90 percent for their ag students.

Farmers can participate in the program by encouraging students in their community to apply for a scholarship and by endorsing their application. Each applicant is required to obtain endorsements from at least three local farmers.

“We want to encourage ambitious and talented students to pursue careers in this growing field,” said Elizabeth Vancil, youth and community outreach manager at Monsanto. “As students who grew up in rural areas learn more about what agriculture has become, they are realizing that it is a fascinating, high tech industry with job growth, job security, and high wages. These young people are seeing that there are emerging opportunities for a new generation of innovative young farmers, engineers, implement designers, marketing specialists and seed scientists.”

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Grow Ag Leaders is part of the overall America’s Farmers campaign, which highlights the vital role played by farmers through programs designed to support rural communities.

Farmers interested in promoting the program and endorsing students’ scholarship applications can learn how at GrowAgLeaders.com. The scholarships are administered by the National FFA Organization, but FFA membership is not required to apply.

Students have until February 1, 2015 to complete the application online at FFA.org/scholarships.

 

Source – Monsanto Fund

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