NCBA and PLC accepting fall internship applications WASHINGTON, D.C. — The National Cattlemen’s Beef Assoc. and the Public Lands Council’s government affairs office in Washington, D.C., is accepting applications for the fall 2015 public policy internship. The deadline to submit an application is April 15. “Growing up in California, I’ve witnessed a host of political decisions that do not always support production agriculture,” said Ben Granholm, a senior at California State University, Fresno, and a 2014 policy intern. “Interning with NCBA and PLC has allowed me to become a part of the team that fights for agriculture and the beef industry each and every day. Not many college students are able to say that they lived and worked in the nation’s capital while representing our country’s most vital industry.” NCBA Executive Director of Legislative Affairs Kristina Butts said this is a great opportunity for students with an interest in the beef industry and public policy. “The internship gives college students the opportunity to work alongside staff on a range of issues that impact U.S. cattlemen and women,” Butts said. “The internship is designed to work closely with the lobbying team on Capitol Hill; to assist with NCBA and PLC’s regulatory efforts; and to work closely with the communications team.” The full-time internship will begin Sept. 15 and end Dec. 18. To apply, interested college juniors, seniors or graduate students should submit the application, college transcripts, two letters of recommendation and a resume to internships@beef.org More information about the NCBA public policy internship is available on www.BeefUSA.org Soybean scholarships available to college students EAST LANSING, Mich. – Michigan State University College of Agriculture and Natural Resources students in crop and soil science or food science and human nutrition are invited to apply for 2015-2016 scholarships offered by the Michigan Soybean Promotion Committee (MSPC). Applicants must be undergraduate full-time students (12 or more credit hours) in their junior or senior year with a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.0. Interested students may apply through MSU’s Office of Financial Aid at www.finaid. msu.edu MSPC is also offering a statewide scholarship for students attending colleges other than MSU or MSU students enrolled in other academic programs. For the statewide scholarship application, visit www.michigansoybean.org/market -development/domestic/soybean- scholarships - the deadline is April 20. iAB Financial gifts $2,500 to Huntington ag institute HUNTINGTON, Ind. — iAB Financial Bank has supported Huntington University’s new Haupert Institute for Agricultural Studies with a $2,500 gift. “We are excited about the new Haupert Institute for Agricultural Studies and the opportunities it will bring to the economic well-being of our local communities,” said Michael C. Marhenke, president and chief executive officer of iAB Financial Bank. “iAB has brought agribusiness expertise to our local markets for nearly 70 years.” iAB Financial Bank employs about 270 people and is an independent, community-owned bank serving four counties in Indiana from 17 locations. Established in the fall of 2014, HU’s Haupert Institute for Agricultural Studies promotes a Christian perspective on agriculture, which recognizes a responsibility to be good stewards of God’s creation and to examine questions of sustainability and justice. HU’s agribusiness program is set to enroll students in fall 2015. For more information, visit www.huntington.edu/ agriculture USDA grants support economic growth for rural areas
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Farmers, ranchers and rural communities are the backbone and economic lifeblood for Americans everywhere, providing food, feed, fiber, fuels and open spaces. However, rural areas and communities face many hardships. High poverty rates, slow recovery from economic recession and low average income per household are all challenges to having a successful and viable community. The USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) has announced nearly $14 million in grants to support four programs to increase prosperity in rural America through research, education and extension programs focused on promoting rural community development, economic growth, and sustainability. Funding from NIFA is expected to assist communities and regions in creating self-sustaining, long-term economic development through research and strategic planning. The following projects were selected for awards in each the Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI) program: Rural Communities and Regional Development: •Tuskegee University, Tuskegee, Ala., $499,998 •University of Georgia, Athens, Ga., $474,998 •University of Idaho, Moscow, Idaho, $499,287 •Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, La., $499,789 •University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minn., $498,943 •Montana State University, Bozeman, Mont., $474,190 •Cornell University, Ithaca, N.Y., $499,374 •University of Vermont, Burlington, Vt., $499,994 Agricultural Economics and Rural Communities – Environment: •University of Connecticut, Storrs, Conn., $500,000 •Purdue University, West Lafayette, Ind., $500,000 •Kansas State University, Manhattan, Kan., $499,976 •University of Nevada, Reno, Nev., $498,393 •University of Rhode Island, Kingston, R.I., $463,096 •University of Rhode Island, Kingston, R.I., $47,882 •Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Va., $313,557 Agricultural Economics and Rural Communities – Economics, Markets and Trade: •University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, Ark., $399,867 •University of Illinois, Urbana, Ill., $49,600 •Purdue University, West Lafayette, Ind., $499,709 •Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa., $245,131 •Kansas State University, Manhattan, Kan., $500,000 •Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio., $494,547 •Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, Okla., $485,414 •University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wis., $379,234 •University of Wyoming, Laramie, Wyo., $149,858 NIFA also provided funds through the Small and Medium-sized Farm program. Fiscal year 2014 Small and Medium-Sized Farms include: •University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, Ark., $499,978 •Purdue University, West Lafayette, Ind., $471,462 •Kansas State University, Manhattan, Kan., $499,995 •University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Mass., $499,380 •Alcorn State University, Lorman, Miss., $499,794 •Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, $384,913 •Oregon State University, Corvallis, Ore., $499,996 •University of Vermont, Burlington, Vt., $499,978 |
