Category: Uncategorized (Page 6 of 8)

Queenstown, Maryland (July 27, 2020) – Last Thursday, the Maryland Grain Producers Association, Maryland Soybean Board, and the Maryland Grain Producers Utilization Board co-sponsored the 22nd annual Commodity Classic via Zoom! There were over 125 attendees who joined the program online. Maryland Grain Producers would like to thank the generous sponsors for making this event possible, you can view our 2020 sponsors here.

The event began with updates from the Maryland Grain Producers Association (MGPA) and Maryland Soybean Board. MGPA President, Evan Miles reminded viewers that “representation in Annapolis cannot be paid with checkoff dollars. Membership is important to ensure we have a strong representation. I encourage you to sign-up today.”

Four outstanding students were recognized as Grain Producer scholarship recipients. Each student was awarded $2,500 to pursue their education in agriculture. The 2020 recipients are – Mitchell Debnam, Jordan Wilmer, Jennifer Gannon, and Austin Nickerson. Biographies for the deserving students can be found below, you can also view a video here. Congratulations and thank you to all those who applied!

The 2020 Dr. James R. Miller Award winner was featured. Jason Scott, of Easton, Maryland was recognized for his outstanding service to the Maryland grain industry. Since 1998, a number of farmers, elected officials, as well as, research and agency representatives have been recognized for their accomplishments. Most notable, Jason Scott served as the first and only Chairman of the U.S. Wheat Associates from Maryland. Learn more about Jason here. Thank you for your time and dedication to our industry, Jason!

The annual event had updates from the National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) and U.S. Grains Council. Brooke Appleton, Vice President of Public Policy with NCGA gave timely updates on what is going on in Washington, DC including Congressional budget and Corona Virus aid packages, ethanol policy, and trade agreements. Melissa Kessler and Reece Cannady with the U.S. Grains Council gave an overview of the current grain export market conditions and emphasized the importance of relationships with our trade partners to weather these uncertain times.

Attendees had the pleasure of hearing from keynote speaker Drew Haines, three-time National Corn Yield Contest (NCYC) Winner from Middletown, Maryland against the backdrop of his picturesque farm. Drew farms alongside his brother Dale and his son Dustin. Drew expressed that being a part of NCYC provides a network of farmers to help you better your farm and your yields. The driving force behind his desire to seek higher yields is seeing what the potential of today’s corn seed is and watching it fulfill that potential. One thing Drew has learned through his experiments is that corn that is driven over after the V6 stage can decrease yields by up to 50 bushels per acre on his operation due to downed corn and compaction. Therefore, he applied as many inputs as possible via aerial application. Another interesting fact is that by improving his soil and nutrient program, Drew has been able to cut his fungicide application in half and has not used any insecticides on his corn in five years. Lastly, Drew could not emphasize enough, split applying your nutrients allows today’s growers to producer more with less by feeding the crop when needed.

Thank you to all those who took the time to tune in, if you were unable to attend and would like to watch the classic, you can view the recorded event on our website or YouTube Channel here.

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Dr. Miller Award Bio

Jason Scott

Jason, along with his family, own and operate Walnut Hill Farms on Maryland’s Eastern Shore. They grow corn, soybeans, wheat, malt barley, and peas. For the past 30 years, the family has independently sold Pioneer Hi-Bred seed.

Jason graduated from the University of Maryland with a Bachelors in Agriculture and Resource Economics and later earned his Masters of Business Administration from the Perdue School of Business at Salisbury University. Since 2004, Jason became involved with the Maryland Grain Producers. During the last 16 years, Jason served as the youngest President of MGPA and continues to represent Maryland on the U.S. Wheat Associates. Jason served as U.S. Wheat Chairman in 2016. With U.S. Wheat, Jason traveled to 20 countries to seek wheat utilization. All while also being involved with Dorchester County Young Farmers and LEAD Maryland.

Jason looks forward to continuing his involvement but will lay low to enjoy time with his wife and two children.

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Scholarship Bios

Mitchell Debnam

Currently attending the University of Northwestern Ohio, Mitchell Debnam is working toward a dual major in Agriculture Equipment Technology and Diesel Technician. Mitchell was raised in Kennedyville, Maryland on his families multi-generational grain and swine operation. At a young age, Mitchell began helping his family with daily activities and was an active member of the Kent Clover Calf 4-H Club where he exhibited dairy and livestock at local, regional, and state shows. In 2018, Mitchell traveled as Maryland’s representative to National 4-H Congress and was awarded Kent 4-H I Dare You Award. Last year, Mitchell graduated from Kent County High School where he was involved in FFA and Baseball. After graduating as a diesel technician, Mitchell would like to return to the family farm after working full-time for a local dealership as an agriculture equipment technician to improve his skill and gain experience.

Jordan Wilmer

From Centreville, Maryland Jordan Wilmer graduated from Queen Anne’s County High School in 2017. During High School, Jordan was active as a Food Bank and Family Affair Farms Volunteer, Vacation Bible School Leader, Football Player, and FFA Member. Jordan recently got accepted into Penn-State World College working towards a degree in Agribusiness Management after two successful years at Chesapeake College graduating with an Associate of Applied Science in Agriculture with a production concentration. While attending college, Jordan has worked Full-Time as a Poultry House Manager for Black Dog Farms while helping Chestnut Manor Farms with crop production. He began an internship with them in 2016 learning about grain and poultry production. After graduation, Jordan plans to raise broilers of his own with a grain production farm.

Jennifer Gannon

Raised on a grain and livestock farm in Centreville, Maryland, Jennifer Gannon works alongside her family while also working at Southern States and Talbot Extension part-time. Jennifer graduated from Chesapeake College with an associate’s degree in allied health in the Spring of 2020. This fall, Jennifer will be attending Delaware State University enrolled in their agriculture business program and plans to be apart of their Equestrian Team. Jennifer plans to work for a fertilizer or seed company after graduation while continuing to work on her family’s operation. At Queen Anne’s County High School, Jennifer was an active FFA member serving as the Chapter President and participating in a variety of competitions. Today, Jennifer serves as their Horse Judging Coach and has judged their regional Public Speaking contest. For 15 years, Jennifer was a member of the Pony Express 4-H Club and served a variety of office positions including Chapter President. She showed horses and sheep for her 4-H project.

Austin Dutch Nickerson

Graduating from The Gunston School in 2018, Austin Nickerson of Worton, Maryland is attending The University of Delaware to major in Agriculture and Natural Resources. Austin was raised on a grain farm where his mother, Kristen works full-time. He has been a part of the operation for as long as he can remember. Growing up, Austin was active in 4-H and later attended National 4-H Congress. He was named National Tractor Operator Champion in 2017 with Perdue University. Austin has spent time volunteering for the Kent County Fair and Still Pond Church. After graduating High School, Austin attended Chesapeake College before transferring to a four-year university. With his degree from Delaware, Austin would like to continue to grow his already established seedling tree planting business while attending college full-time.

The Delmarva Poultry Industry partnered with Jenell Eck of Maryland Grain Producers to tell this story of how #chickensteppedup.

Commerce on much of the Delmarva Peninsula shut down due to the coronavirus pandemic this March. Yet farmers kept working as the busiest time of their year drew closer. Grain farmers continued to prepare the fields for spring planting and poultry farmers continued to raise broilers as cookout season loomed.

As the pandemic’s effects hit store shelves, consumers began to be concerned about where their food was coming from and whether it would still be supplied. Reassuringly, family farmers here on Delmarva grow the grain that feeds our family-raised broilers, which are processed at 10 plants in Delaware, Maryland’s Eastern Shore, and the Eastern Shore of Virginia. Those plans represent more than 20,000 jobs for our area, and the same birds fed Delmarva-raised grain on Delmarva farms which are sold right here in your local grocery store.

In the poultry industry, biosecurity has always been a top priority to protect chicken flocks from avian diseases present in geese, ducks, and other wild birds. To prepare for the COVID-19 pandemic, farmers were cautious about visitors on the farm, purchased extra supplies to keep their operations moving, and limited outside travel. Georgie Cartanza, a University of Delaware Cooperative Extension agent helping poultry growers, and a chicken grower herself, purchased extra fuel for the farm generator and supplies for the warm weather that would soon approach.

Through Georgie’s Extension role, she was available to growers by call, email, and video chat. Unable to visit farms, FaceTime and other video calls allowed Georgie to help a farmer diagnose flock illnesses and demonstrate key skills. Furthermore, Georgie has worked with the University of Maryland Extension agents Jon Moyle and Jenny Rhodes to host “Chicken Chat” for growers across the peninsula. This weekly Zoom call allowed growers a space for discussion and resources during the pandemic, even though in-person meetings weren’t possible. If you are interested in participating, register here; the series will continue for a few more weeks.

To keep people’s spirits high and keep her mind occupied, Georgie shared lighthearted home videos on Facebook with her ag-centric audience. These videos reached more than 10,000 people and are a joy to watch. A few must watches are “Poopology,” “Eggs,” and “Chicken King.”

The Delmarva Poultry Industry partnered with Jenell Eck of Maryland Grain Producers to tell this story of how #chickensteppedup.

Scott Kirk delivers organic poultry feed across Delmarva to farmers raising chickens for Coleman Natural Foods every day. The Kirk family also raises roaster broiler chickens in two houses that Scott’s wife, Sarah, takes care of, but Scott hauls feed to have additional income. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Scott had been busier than normal ensuring broilers — chickens raised for meat, as opposed to the layer chickens raised for their eggs — had an uninterrupted supply of feed.

In the middle of April, Scott began feeling run down; he assumed he was suffering from seasonal allergies. He continued to work hauling feed to Delmarva’s chickens, and with such an isolated job, alone in the cab of his truck, Scott felt comfortable continuing to work every day.

On April 12, Scott came down with what he thought were sinus infection symptoms, and he began to run a high fever. Days later, Sarah dropped him off at the hospital doors to be tested for COVID-19. She waited anxiously in the parking lot as visitors were not permitted. The news they hoped not to hear came back: Scott had tested positive for COVID-19.

Sarah and the family’s four children began to quarantine themselves. Scott spent five days in the hospital on oxygen; he was also diagnosed with pneumonia. Upon leaving the hospital, Scott self-quarantined for nearly two weeks. He enjoyed his family, outdoor sunshine, and relaxation to heal while keeping others safe.

And what about the feed truck route? A neighbor and family friend, Harlan Good, offered to haul feed for him. Harlan, also a poultry grower, expressed interest earlier this year about hauling feed, and he was able to obtain the needed license to do so. The Kirk family feels beyond blessed for Harlan stepping up and helping during Scott’s recovery.

The Kirk kids would check on their dad through video calls while he was at the hospital to keep everyone’s spirits up and helped their mom out on the farm. When Scott was quarantined at home after being discharged, the family took advantage of his presence for extra quality time. Everyone practiced social distancing, wore masks, and washed their hands regularly. Scott would sit away from his family inside and outside and enjoy quality time with his loved ones. Keeping the four children upbeat during this time was important, especially while continuing school from home.

Since being diagnosed, Scott has felt like a celebrity for having survived a coronavirus infection. Scott and his family thanked everyone who reached out to check and pray for them. They were offered more help than they could have ever imagined and feel appreciated and loved by many. After 19 years of marriage and a COVID-19 scare behind them, this family – one of the thousands in Delmarva’s chicken community – is ready for all life continues to have in store.

Queenstown, Maryland (June 17, 2020) – The 2020 Maryland Commodity Classic, held annually on the fourth Thursday of July, will be streamed online via zoom. We invite members, agribusinesses, researchers, farmers, stakeholders, and others to join our annual event on July 23rd.

We plan to have pesticide research presentations, updates from our national partners, and a question and answer session with Drew Haines. From Middletown, Maryland Drew has been recognized nationally for the Corn Yield Contest, particularly in the no-till, non-irrigated division. We will be featuring our 2020 Scholarship Recipients and Dr. Miller Awardee. Information on the finalized schedule with registration will be available soon. If you do not currently receive email automated messages from the Maryland Grain Producers, please email jenell.mdag@gmail.com, to be added and updated on our virtual event.

Evan Miles, President of Maryland Grain Producers Association said, “keeping the farmers who produce the food, fuel, and fiber for the country safe and healthy during this time is critical.”

We look forward to having you join our event from the comfort of your home, tractor, or office.

Queenstown, Maryland (June 9, 2020) – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) addresses a key order to provide farmers clarify following the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals’ June 3rd vacatur of three dicamba registrations. This order address sale, distribution, and use of existing stocks of the three products (XtendiMax with vapor grip technology, Engenia, and FeXapan).

1. Distribution or sale by any person is generally prohibited except for ensuring proper disposal or return to the registrant.
2. Growers and commercial applicators may use existing stocks that were in their possession on June 3, 2020. Such use must be consistent with the product’s previously-approved label, and may not continue after July 31, 2020.

Background Information

On June 3rd, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals issued an order vacating EPA’s pesticide registrations containing the active ingredient dicamba.

• Xtendimax with Vaporgrip Technology (EPA Reg. No. 524-617)
• Engenia (EPA Reg. No. 7969-345)
• FeXapan (EPA Reg. No. 352-913)

Information gathered from EPA’s most recent press release, can be found here.
To stay up-to-date with this ongoing order, click here.
Read EPA’ order here.

Queenstown, Maryland (May 20, 2020) – The Maryland Grain Producers is inviting visitors to explore their new website. The updated website allows consumers and farmers to learn more about Maryland’s grain industry and stay up-to-date on current issues.

The website is compatible with all devices including your computer, tablet, and smartphone, and can be accessed here. Spotlighted features include:

• Strong Menu Bar to find specific resources and topics.
• Topic Information important to Maryland Grain Farmers.
• Farmer Resources including grain bids and membership benefits.
• Updated News from our latest newsletter and press releases.
• Policy Updates to keep members and visitors informed during legislative session.
• Grower Investments showcasing grants for market development, research, and education.

“The goal of the association is to educate legislators and consumers and keep our farmers up-to-date. With this new website, we can do just that,” said Maryland Grain Producers Association President, Evan Miles.

We hope you enjoy!

Queenstown, Maryland (May 8, 2020) – Yesterday, Governor Hogan vetoed Senate Bill 300 which would have legislatively banned the use of Chlorpyrifos in Maryland. This would have been the first agricultural pesticide banned by the Maryland General Assembly. The Maryland Department of Agriculture filed regulations in February to phase out the use of Chlorpyrifos. This was a request from agricultural organizations including DE-MD Agribusiness Association, Delmarva Poultry Industry, Maryland Farm Bureau and Maryland Grain Producers, in order to avoid setting a precedent of the Maryland legislature banning pesticides.

Maryland’s agricultural coalition joined together requesting that Governor Hogan veto this legislation in order to maintain the statutory, science based, framework in place for pesticide regulation. In his veto letter, Hogan states, “Following discussions earlier this year with agricultural leaders, farmers, and legislators, the Maryland Department of Agriculture (MDA) crafted reasonable and responsible regulations to phase out all use of Chlorpyrifos by 2021. This regulatory action is in the best interest of the agriculture industry and the environment…Because of this regulatory action which has already occurred, Senate Bill 300 has been rendered moot.”

Governor Hogan joins other Governors across the country in vetoing legislative bans on Chlorpyrifos. Most recently, Washington state’s Governor Jay Inslee (D-WA) and Governor Cuomo (D-NY) of New York also vetoed pesticide ban legislation. Governor Cuomo (D-NY) summed up the reasoning well in his veto letter stating, “legislatively banning pesticides substitutes the legislature’s judgment for the expertise of chemists, health experts, and other subject matter experts in this field.”

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) reviews hundreds, if not thousands, of scientific studies when considering approval of pesticide products. This is not a process that is feasible in a 90-day legislative session. While advocates of Senate Bill 300 argue that the regulatory route puts MDA in charge of banning chlorpyrifos and they’re not equipped to do so; the fact is that MDA would be responsible for promulgating regulations to implement and enforce Senate Bill 300 and are more than equipped to do so through delegated regulatory authority from EPA.

Maryland agriculture would like thank Governor Hogan for vetoing this legislation in order to maintain the robust regulatory process in place to safely and effectively govern pesticides.

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• Maryland Grain Producers
• Delaware Maryland Agribusiness Association
• Maryland Farm Bureau
• Delmarva Poultry Industry

Royal Farms and Protect Fuel Management, LLC (Protect) announced the completion of the first phase in a sustainability initiative designed to offer customers renewable fuel options that save money and dramatically reduce pollution with E85 Flex Fuel and Regular 88. The new fuels are the latest addition to Royal Farms’ ongoing sustainability efforts which began in 2008. The celebration on April 23rd with national and regional partners was conducted at the Royal Farms at 100 Monument Avenue in Oxon Hill. The store, the 200th in Royal Farms regional portfolio, is located at the exciting National Harbor waterfront district.

For more than a decade Royal Farms has made sustainability a priority. Efforts include building all new stores to meet LEED certification requirements, sustainability education for staff, and recycling waste cooking oil into biodiesel. While the programs have at times added cost and complexity to projects, the company’s unwavering commitment is making an impact. To date, cleaner ethanol fuels have already displaced enough gasoline to cut greenhouse gas emissions by the equivalent of planting 54,319 trees and letting them grow for ten years. The National Harbor location is the 12th Royal Farms store in Maryland or Virginia to introduce renewable fuels with Protect, with more anticipated in the future.

“We are proud to lead the way with renewable fuels; offering higher quality and better value is the cornerstone upon which Royal Farms was built,” said Fuel and Environmental Leader Tom Ruszin. “It is gratifying that our whole team, from the fry cook at our smallest store to our corporate executives, are working together to make a meaningful impact in our home state of Maryland and across the region,” he added.

Protect has been a national leader in ethanol fuels since designing, installing, and supplying the very first E85 station in Texas in 2006. The company’s focus on delivering comprehensive retail solutions has culminated in the successful completion of more than 400 stations during a three-year, five-state partnership with the USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) program known as the Biofuels Infrastructure Partnership (BIP). Richard Fordyce, Administrator of the FSA, spoke at today’s event to mark the milestone.

“The Mid-Atlantic region is not only important to Protect, but holds tremendous potential for forward-thinking retailers like Royal Farms that are ready to differentiate their stations by offering customers domestically made, cleaner fuel options at great prices,” said Steve Walk, Managing Partner of Protect FUel. He added, “Protect has also worked with a number of other parties that contributed to this success.”

Increasing availability of ethanol in the region has been a collaborative effort, including strong support of private and public entities such as Sustainable Energy Strategies Inc. and Clean Cities chapters of Virginia and Maryland. Notably, the Maryland Energy Administration (MEA) and Maryland Grain Producers Utilization Board investment in growing ethanol in the state has been instrumental in a 70% increase in E85 and Regular 88 sales in 2018. Part of that investment has come through the MEA’s Alternative Fuel Infrastructure Program, a competitive, technology-neutral effort that annually supports the development of state-wide alternative fuel and electric charging infrastructure. The Maryland Grain Producers Utilization Board investment comes from a farmer checkoff program, whereby farmers give a portion of every grain sale to fund projects in research, education, and market development.

Partners:

• Clean Cities of Maryland and Virginia
• Maryland Energy Administration
• Maryland Grain Producers
• Protect Fuel Management, LLC
• Royal Farms
• Sustainable Energy Strategies Inc.

The twenty-first annual Maryland Commodity Classic was held on Thursday, July 25, 2019, at the Queen Anne’s 4-H Park. The event was attended by nearly 300 farmers and industry representatives and featured keynote speaker Jimmy Bramblett, Deputy Chief of Programs at USDA Natural Resource Conservation Service.

During the event, the Maryland Grain Producers Utilization Board awarded scholarships to four deserving students. Recipients were Alexandra Guy of Hebron, Ethan Miller of Kennedyville, Cody Martin Morris of Parsonsburg, and Jacob Schmidt of Sudlersville. “We had an outstanding group of qualified individuals receiving scholarships this year,” Bobby Guy, MGPUB President. “We need trained professionals to meet the demand for careers addressing issues such as world hunger and food safety, renewable energy, and environmental stewardship. Over $180,000 has now been awarded through our Scholarship Program.”

Also during the event, the Maryland Grain Producers Association awarded two individuals with the Dr. James R. Miller Award, which recognizes an individual for outstanding service to Maryland’s grain industry. The awareness began in 1998 when it was given to Dr. James R. Miller. Since then, grower leaders, as well as elected officials, researchers, and agency representatives have been recognized.

This year’s recipients were Brad Powers, former Deputy Secretary at the Maryland Department of Agriculture, and Valerie Connelly, former Executive Director of Maryland Farm Bureau.

According to those who were there at the inception of the Maryland Grain Producers Association, we probably would not be here today without Brad Powers. In 1976, he began working at the Department of Agriculture as a Marketing Specialist and worked his way all the way up to Deputy Secretary. In his capacity as Assistant Secretary, Brad was integral in the information of the Maryland Grain Producers and served as the Department’s member of the Board.

After his retirement in 2002, Brad did not stop serving the industry. He was involved in the development of two soybean transloading facilities and investigation of potential sites for an ethanol plant in Maryland. Giving back to the community, Brad served as the director of Shore Gourmet, a value-added food business development program. Powers also assisted with a USDA technology transfer project looking into converting chicken feathers into biodegradable plant containers and turfgrass netting. Brad now lives in Carrollton, Georgia with his wife Shari and enjoys vacationing at their home in Tennessee, hunting, fishing, gardening, spending time with his family, and his loyal Labrador Max.

Valeria Connelly has been serving Maryland’s agricultural community for the last 25 years, working for the Maryland Farm Bureau. Serving as Director of Government Relations and most recently Executive Director, Valerie has been involved in every major issue impacting Maryland Agriculture for the last quarter-century and has done an exceptional job representing our best interest. For grain producers, Val has been integral in protecting the privacy of nutrient management plans, retaining access to pesticides, expanding the radius for k-tags, increasing the weight tolerance for grain trucks, ensuring conservation funding and so much more.

While Valeria surely will be missed working directly in agriculture, she will be staying in the area in her new position at Choptank Electric. The Maryland Grain Producers Association suspects that her work there will ultimately benefit our farmers as well. The Association thanks both Brad and Valerie for their many years of tireless service to Maryland’s grain farmers.

The Maryland Commodity Classic is held annually on the fourth Thursday in July and is sponsored by the Maryland Grain Producers Association and Utilization Board, Maryland Soybean Board, and Mid-Atlantic Soybean Association.

Every year, there is an 11% shortage of agriculture graduates to fill professional positions in the field of agriculture. The Maryland Grain Producers Utilization Board (MGPUB) supports students pursuing agriculture careers through a college scholarship program. This year, four students were each awarded a $2,500 scholarship at the Maryland Commodity Classic on July 25th. Recipients are Alexandra Guy of Hebron, Ethan Miller of Kennedyville, Cody Martin Morris of Parsonburg, and Jacob Schmidt of Sudlersville.

“We have an outstanding group of qualified individuals receiving scholarships this year,” states Bobby Guy, MGPUB President. “We need trained professionals to meet the demand for careers addressing issues such as world hunger and food safety, renewable energy, and environmental stewardship. Over $180,000 has now been awarded through our Scholarship Program.”

A recent graduate of James M. Bennet High School, Alexandra Guy was raised on her family’s farm in Hebron, MD, and has always wanted to give back to the farming community. To do so, she will be attending the University of Kentucky of the fall to study agriculture and medical biotechnology, which will allow her to not only improve the yield of crops but also examine the health of the crops we are growing. Daughter of Bobby Guy, Alexandra is also serving as the current Wicomico County Farm Ambassador and was active in Field Hockey, Lacrosse, and the National Honors Society in High School.

Studying plant science at the University of Delaware, Ethan Miller’s life has revolved around his family’s 4,000 acre grain farming operation. After receiving his degree, Ethan plans to return to the family farm where he can bring back his knowledge of different farming methods and serve as their very own agronomist. Son of Kevin and Amy Miller, Ethan has been very active in his first year of school, participating in Alpha Gamma Rho, Ag Day, Dairy Judging, and more.

Son of Thomas and Lisa Morris, Cody Martin Morris has worked on his family’s grain and poultry farm since the age of 10, where he learned the benefits of reaping a plentiful harvest. In addition to the crops grown by his family, he also has his own pumpkin patch which he manages from planting to harvest. By studying agronomy and agricultural business management at the University of Maryland College Park, he hopes to one day efficiently run his family farm and maximize profits so that it can be passed along to the next generation. In his lifetime, Cody has seen many changes in the production of chickens and small grain crops and recognizes the importance of continuing family farms in the current day and age.

Attending West Virginia University to obtain a degree in agribusiness management with a minor in soil science, Jacob Schmidt believes that he must first educate himself as much as possible in order to be successful in his career. The son of Alan and Brenda Schmidt, Jacob’s experience in agriculture started at a young age and is wide and diverse. After graduating, he plans to obtain his CCA certification and return to his family’s grain and vegetable farm, where he would like to venture into new and emerging niche markets such as biofuels that can help contribute to the advancement of the industry.

“Agriculture is an exciting career field with many opportunities,” concludes Guy. “We are excited to see these young people wanting to make a contribution to our industry. This scholarship program is a long-term investment with big dividends for the future of farming.”