Application deadline near for Michigan livestock scholarship

LANSING, Mich. — Since 2000, the Michigan Youth Livestock Scholarship Fund (MYLSF) has awarded $533,000 in scholarships and educational awards to outstanding youth who have exhibited at the premier livestock events in the state of Michigan.

In 2019, a select number of applicants may be offered an opportunity to be interviewed, at the discretion of the MYLSF, prior to the Michigan Livestock Expo Sale-Abration event for larger scholarship awards up to $5,000.

To be eligible for either the MYLSF general scholarship or the statewide scholarship, the applicant must be a resident of Michigan and a graduating high school senior or a high school graduate continuing their education at an accredited institution in the year in which they are applying.

Specific proceeds from the Michigan Livestock Expo Sale-Abration auction as well as charitable donations help fund the scholarships. Applications and qualification requirements for the MYLSF and the statewide scholarship can be obtained from www.michigan.gov/mda-mylsf

Applications must be postmarked no later than May 17. If you have any questions, contact Jeff Haarer at 517-284-5642 or Ernie Birchmeier at 517-679-5335.

Zionsville teens take top honors in national wool contest

(photo in 6506)

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. — Two Zionsville teens placed in the top 10 at the National Make it With Wool Contest held at the American Sheep Industry annual convention in New Orleans.

Sophee Dull, a Zionsville Community High School junior, and Molly Grotjan, a Zionsville native and Purdue University freshman, both placed in the top 10 in the junior (ages 13-16) and senior (ages 17-24) classes, respectively. Dull and Grotjan won the state Make it With Wool Contest in August 2018 and then advanced to the national contest.

Both competed with other contestants representing states from across the country. Dull sewed and modeled a camel-colored wool coat made from Italian cashmere, and Grotjan constructed a mohair houndstooth patterned taupe, cream, and gray wool coat.

The competition showcases and promotes the beauty and versatility of wool fabrics, yarns, and fibers and encourages personal creativity in sewing, knitting, crocheting, spinning, weaving, and other needlework arts. All contestants must select, construct, and model their own garment(s) made from more than 60 percent wool content.

The national contest is sponsored by the American Wool Council, the American Sheep Industry, and American Sheep Industry Women. For more information, visit the National Make It with Wool Contest online at https://bit.ly/2CmwmNV

PLACING IN THE TOP 10 of competitors in the National Make it With Wool Contest with their coats are Molly Grotjan (left) and Sophee Dull, both of Zionsville, Ind.

(Photo provided)

KDA sponsoring FFA contest for farm marketing skills

FRANKFORT, Ky. — Agriculture Commissioner Ryan Quarles has announced the Kentucky Department of Agriculture’s Direct Farm Marketing Division is sponsoring a contest for Kentucky FFA members actively involved in the production, growth, and marketing of farm commodities or value-added products.

To be eligible, participants must produce and market fruits, vegetables, flowers, eggs, meat, fish, poultry, dairy, or value-added products that have direct Kentucky farmgate impact. The products must be marketed and sold directly to the consumer through farmers’ markets, roadside markets, or on-farm markets.

Participants must turn in a written marketing plan, in which they answer 10 questions regarding market research, display skills, and direct marketing abilities. Applicants also must submit a portfolio that should include photos of the farm operation, products in the field, promotional materials, and market displays.

Regional winners will receive $50 and advance to a statewide competition, where they will be interviewed and judged on their plan, marketing, and production experiences. The interview, in which they will answer questions regarding their operation, will make up 75 percent of the entrant’s score, with the marketing plan and portfolio counting the remaining 25 percent. The overall state winner will receive $300, and the runner-up will get $100.

Applications are due May 15 to Matt Chaliff, executive secretary of the Kentucky FFA Assoc. Email them to matt.chaliff@education.ky.gov or mail to: Matt Chaliff, Executive Secretary, Kentucky FFA Assoc., 300 Sower Blvd., Fifth Floor, Frankfort, KY 40601.

For more information, including guidelines and marketing plan questions, go to kyagr.com/marketing/farmers-market.html

National Ag Day essay contest winners announced

OVERLAND PARK, Kan. — The Agriculture Council of America (ACA) announced its 2019 National Ag Day video and written essay winners. The winners were chosen based on the theme “Agriculture: Food for Life. How Does Our Nation Lead the Way?”

The theme presented an opportunity for high school students to address how American agriculture feeds the growing population. Entrants chose to either write an essay or create a video. One written winner and on video winner were selected.

The national written essay winner, Grace Brose from Box Elder, S.D., received a $1,000 prize and traveled to Washington, D.C., for recognition at the National Press Club. The contests also named two merit winners who received $100 and blog posts featuring their essays: Brody Allen Snook of Marseilles, Ill., and Emily Li of Sugar Land, Texas.

This year’s Video essay winner, Jacob Kandell of Mason, Ohio, won a $1,000 prize. The winning entries can be viewed online at www.agday.org/2019-contest-winners

The Ag Day Essay Contest is sponsored by CHS, Inc., National Assoc. of Farm Broadcasting, and Farm Progress.

New position created to support agricultural educators

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. — The Indiana State Department of Agriculture (ISDA) announced the hiring of Kimberly Barkman as Agricultural Education Program manager. She will serve as a liaison between ISDA and the Indiana Department of Education, and schools with an agriculture program.

Barkman grew up on a tobacco farm in Switzerland County. She participated in 4-H and served as the 2003 District 12 FFA president. In 2007, she graduated from Purdue University with a bachelor’s degree in agricultural education.

Prior to joining the department, she was an agricultural education teacher at Triton Central for two years and then taught at Beech Grove City Schools for six years. In her new role, Barkman will be responsible for supporting course framework and agriculture-based Career and Technology Education curriculum in schools across the state.

She will also interpret education policies and review state standards as they relate to agriculture. A large part of her job will be serving as a resource and liaison for Indiana’s agricultural education teachers to strengthen their programming.

NCGA, BASF name Russell a Berg Scholarship recipient

ORLANDO, Fla. — The National Corn Growers Assoc. and BASF awarded the William C. Berg Excellence in Agriculture Scholarship to five aspiring agriculture students pursuing degrees in an agriculture-related field, at the 2019 Commodity Classic in Orlando.

The scholarship was created to honor Berg, an Ohio farmer and retired postal worker who died in 2012. Five $1,000 scholarships were awarded, including in this region to Krista Russell from Jerseyville, Ill., obtaining her master’s degree in environmental science from Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville.

USDA rolls out new website with school, career resources

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The USDA joined the nation in celebrating National Ag Day last month by launching a new Youth and Agriculture website to connect young people and youth-serving organizations with Department-wide resources that engage, empower, and educate the next generation of agricultural leaders.

The USDA Youth and Agriculture website at www.usda.gov/youth features three key components of agriculture-focused youth engagement: classroom studies, experiential learning, and leadership training.

Educators can find ways to include agriculture in the classroom and beyond. Young people can learn about USDA summer outreach programs, youth loans for business projects, and outdoor volunteering. Community leaders can get tips on starting leadership development clubs and education programs.

The site also highlights USDA partners, such as 4-H, the National FFA Organization, Minorities in Agriculture, Natural Resources, and Related Sciences (MANRRS), Agriculture Future of America (AFA), and many others working with the USDA to connect young people with opportunities in agriculture.

For the career curious, the website provides information on internships and scholarships, USDA employment, and information on agriculture career fields, such as forestry, robotics engineering, biochemistry, and food sciences. Storytelling will help young people learn from peers about youth-led innovations and success stories in agriculture.

Ceres makes spring investments in area youth and community

CRAWFORDSVILLE, Ind. — March 20 marked the first day of spring, and in celebration Ceres Solutions announces three much-anticipated financial contributions being made all across the company’s service area.

First, more than $25,000 is being awarded across Indiana and in Michigan for local high school and college scholarships in the coming weeks. The Ceres Solutions board of directors recently approved this program commitment for 2019, and also helped select the recipients, who were among a qualified pool of applicant candidates.

Students will be informed through their schools regarding the financial awards, and Ceres Solutions is pleased to help send students to campus in the fall of 2019 with this extra financial support.

In addition, more than $64,000 in charitable donations are being distributed and presented to local 4-H youth program leaders and county programs, thanks to a commitment from Ceres Solutions and a matching investment from its partners at Land O’Lakes. Ceres team members also donate fair week supplies and manpower hours to help area 4-H kids enjoy a safe and successful fair season.

And finally, the company is in the fortunate financial position to return patronage to farmer-members. More than $7 million is being returned to thousands of farmer-members who are shareholders in the business. These funds are returned in the form of cash and equity credits, and this year $4.9 million of the total is in cash.

USDA’s 1890 National Scholars Program seeks applicants

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The USDA announced the opening of the 2019 scholarship application cycle for the USDA/1890 National Scholars Program. This aims to increase the number of minority students studying agriculture, food, natural resource sciences, and other agriculture-related disciplines. The program is available through the USDA Office of Partnerships and Public Engagement (OPPE).

The USDA/1890 National Scholars Program is a partnership between USDA and the 1890 historically black land-grant colleges and universities. The program provides full tuition, fees, books, room, and board to students pursuing degrees in agriculture, food, natural resource sciences, or related academic disciplines.

When the student has completed the academic and summer work requirements of the scholarship, USDA may at its discretion convert them to a permanent employee without further competition. Since 2014, USDA has provided opportunities for nearly 140 scholars.

The USDA/1890 National Scholars Program is available to high school seniors entering their freshman year of college, and rising college sophomores and juniors. The scholarship is renewable each year and contingent on satisfactory academic performance and normal progress toward the bachelor’s degree.

All application materials must be postmarked by April 30. Find the applications and learn more at https://bit.ly/2FAeXVo

CME awards $1.88M to support early math education in Illinois

CHICAGO, Ill. — CME Group Foundation will award $1.88 million in new grants to support early math education programs for young children from low-income communities in Illinois. These grants will be used for programs throughout the next two school years.

Grantees were selected as part of CME Group Foundation's Early Math Initiative, designed to provide educators with the knowledge, confidence, and tools to teach and inspire children from infancy through elementary school about the world of mathematics.

These grants bring Early Math Education Initiative funding to a total investment of $10.8 million since the program's inception in 2009.

CME launched its Early Math Education Initiative to aide underserved Illinois communities and as part of its efforts to advance the economy by supporting education from cradle to career. According to the State Board of Education, nearly half of children ages 3-17 live in low-income households and just 31 percent of eighth-graders enrolled in an Algebra 1 course last year received a passing grade.

The beneficiaries are the Academy of Urban School Leadership, Big Shoulders Fund, Chicago Children's Museum, Children First Fund of Chicago Public Schools Foundation, Decatur Public Schools Foundation, DePaul University, Erikson Institute, Governors State University, Kohl Children's Museum of Greater Chicago, McKendree University, Teach for America Chicago, University of Chicago STEM Ed, and University of Illinois at Chicago.