COLUMBUS, Ohio — United Producers, Inc. (UPI) will offer two $1,000 scholarships in each of its 16 districts to deserving high school and post high school students pursuing agriculture degrees. 

“The future of agriculture depends on those who are currently considering and pursuing a career in this critical industry,” said Dennis Bolling, president and CEO of United Producers, Inc. “We want to do all we can to encourage students who have an interest in agribusiness, farming, veterinary medicine or other agriculture-based industries to pursue their careers, and this is our way of helping them do so.” 

Applicants must be a Preferred Member of UPI, or a child or grandchild of a Preferred Member, and a 2013 graduating high school senior, or a student currently attending, a college or technical school studying an agriculture-related field. Completed applications and essays must be postmarked by April 1, 2013. 

Visit www.uproducers.com for more information or to download an application form. 

FORT LORAMIE, Ohio — Fort Loramie FFA recently participated in forestry field days organized by the Shelby County Soil and Water Conservation District and hosted by Denny Zigenbushe. The Fort Loramie FFA volunteered members to help run the sessions. Fort Loramie FFA members assisted with several different stations such as teaching the youth how to use a hand crank apple peeler, and a hand crank corn shucker. Members also helped with face painting, making glitter pinecones, and a Jr. Cruise Tour, which taught kids about the types of trees around them and general knowledge of each tree. Each member that participated was able to interact with the community and share information about nature.  
 

Eight Fort Loramie Agricultural Education students recently attended the National FFA Convention in Indianapolis, Ind. These members include: Katelyn Seger, Taylor Broerman, Amanda Seger, Sara Maurer, Brooke Ruhenkamp, Melanie Kremer, Laura Poeppelman and Lindsey Pleiman.

FFA members started off their trip by going to Chicago to visit the Chicago Board of Trade. In Chicago, the members were able to see the opening bell in the agricultural commodities products floor. Members were also given a quick lesson on how the buying, selling, and trading works on the floor. While in Chicago, they visited the Federal Reserve, where they received information about money and how it has changed over the years. Before attending the convention, students participated in a community service project at the Indiana Organ Procurement Organization (IOPO). At IOPO, they helped to put together blood test tube kits, pull weeds and rake leaves on the grounds, put together a booklet given to the family of the donor, as well as other jobs that needed to be done. During the trip they also went on a tour of Caito Foods. The purpose of Caito Foods is to bring in food from all over the world and then distribute it in and around Indiana. Members also attended several sessions of the National Convention lead by the National FFA officers. 

Two former Fort Loramie FFA members received their American FFA Degrees. These members were Stacie Seger, daughter of Ken and Janice Seger and Pam Meyer, daughter of Dan and Chris Meyer.

COTTAGE GROVE, Wis. — Landmark Services Cooperative recently announced its 2012 scholarship recipients. The cooperative awarded 15 scholarships to collegiate students pursuing post-secondary education in Wisconsin, Illinois and Minnesota. 

Receiving an award of $750 each, this year’s scholarship recipients are as follows: Alisha Frohmader, Wisconsin Dells, Wis.; John Gutzman, Rio, Wis.; Joshua Halvensleben, Evansville, Wis.; Benjamin Julka, Rosendale, Wis.; Kathryn Knudtson, Juda, Wis.; Bradley Mauerman, Albany, Wis.; Katherine McGuire, Brodhead, Wis.; Meaghan McGuire, Brodhead, Wis.; Joe Mulcahy, Dane, Wis.; Molly Patterson, Evansville, Wis.; Tori Ruf, Arlington, Wis.; Sarah Silver, Monticello, Wis.; Madelyn Walters, Hebron, Ill.; Emily Wendorf, Delavan, Wis.; and Alexander Zellmer, Montello, Wis.

Recipients were selected from a pool of applicants based on cumulative grade point average, leadership, scholastic achievement, extracurricular activities, personal motivation and academic and career goals. All members of Landmark Services Cooperative and their children attending four-year universities, two-year technical programs or short courses and high school seniors planning for postsecondary education were eligible to apply for the awards. As part of the Landmark Gives Back program, Landmark has awarded more than $155,000 in scholarships throughout the Landmark Services Cooperative trade territory in southern Wisconsin and northern Illinois since the program’s inception in 1989.