County Farm Bureaus in Virginia invested in their communities’ future by offering more than $153,000 in scholarship funds in 2017.

Sixty-two county Farm Bureaus offered scholarships of their own, and many county Farm Bureaus also contributed to other organizations’ scholarship funds.

“Helping deserving students reach their educational goals—and, ultimately, their career goals—is an important way our county Farm Bureaus support their respective communities,” said Wayne F. Pryor, president of the Virginia Farm Bureau Federation. “These organizations value education and are committed to making a difference on the local level.”

Federation scholarships

The VFBF Women’s Committee and Young Farmers Committee, along with Farm Credit, awarded a $1,500 scholarship to the state winner in last year’s Outstanding Young Agriculturalist youth recognition program. 

State Fair scholarships

The State Fair of Virginia offers up to $70,000 in scholarships annually to winners in 4-H, FFA and vocational competitions and specific equine, fine arts and horticulture competitions. The fair’s Applied Youth Livestock Scholarship Program awarded $20,622 in scholarships to 12 youth who exhibited beef cattle, sheep, meat goats and swine in the 2017 fair.

The Miss State Fair of Virginia Scholarship Program, an affiliate of the Miss Virginia program, awarded more than $1,400 in scholarship funds last year.

VFBF became full owner of the fair in 2013.