Jillian Lowery of Culpeper County has been selected as this year’s Virginia Farm Bureau Federation Outstanding Young Agriculturalist.

The Lord Fairfax Community College student was recognized July 28 at the VFBF Young Farmers Summer Expo in Lynchburg.

District-level finalists were Aldyn Abell of King George County, Cory Bennett of Augusta County, Michael Estienne of Suffolk, Emily Hill of Frederick County, Zach Horton of Carroll County, Bayley Johnson of Hanover County, Caitlin Price of Franklin County and Caroline Warns of Rockingham County.

Lowery will receive $1,500 in scholarship funds from award sponsors, including Virginia’s Farm Credit associations, the VFBF Women’s and Young Farmers programs and the Virginia Farm Bureau Federation. She also will receive a travel package to the 2012 VFBF Annual Convention in Chantilly.

The Outstanding Young Agriculturalist Award, which is co-sponsored by the VFBF Young Farmers Committee and Women’s Committee, recognizes high school juniors and seniors for academic, community and agribusiness achievement.

Lowery is working on her associate’s degree in science at Lord Fairfax Community College and hopes to study animal and poultry science and agribusiness next year at Virginia Tech.

She has a small farm where she raises show-quality Nigerian Dwarf dairy goats. She shows her goats in 4-H competitions, has won three scholarships through the State Fair of Virginia and recently was tapped into 4-H All Stars.

“I am so thankful for the many opportunities that I have had throughout my goat-raising experience, the working relations I have with my mentor/veterinarian and the many people who have helped me along the way,” Lowery said. “The time spent as a participant at the Virginia Governor’s School for Agriculture last summer cemented my goal to continue to work to grow agriculture’s future and promote the dairy goat as a key element in doing so.”

With more than 150,000 members in 88 county Farm Bureaus, VFBF is Virginia’s largest farmers’ advocacy group. Farm Bureau is a non-governmental, nonpartisan, voluntary organization committed to protecting Virginia’s farms and ensuring a safe, fresh and locally grown food supply.