Scholarships for Agricultural Business

Win a Bushel of Cash

Agricultural scholarships apply to educational pursuits relating to animal and plant products. Many graduates from this area of study work for large food companies in sales, marketing and production. Other employment options for agriculture graduates include work as commodities brokers, government employees, and yes – farmers.

Financial assistance is available to students who stand-out in their agricultural programs.  Financial need and academic merit are common eligibility requirements for scholarships that help undergraduates, and graduate students land agricultural credentials.

Scholarships are sponsored by agricultural companies, industry professional associations, and individual colleges and universities offering agriculture degrees. Effective financial aid-seekers use academic proficiency, community involvement and aptitude in agricultural areas to secure college financing.  Put your best foot forward, for access to agriculture scholarships like these:

Future Farmers of America (FFA)

Future Farmers of America offers more than $2 million worth of agricultural education scholarships each year – under provisions of the National FFA Collegiate Scholarship Program. The following scholarships provide examples of recent FFA initiatives aimed at educating agricultural business students.  Please contact FFA directly, for more information about current scholarships offered by the group.

AGCO Corporation offers six annual scholarships worth$2,400.00 each. These scholarships are non-renewable. Applicants must be able to demonstrate financial need, as well as histories of community involvement.

Two scholarships worth $2,500.00 each are offered by AGDATA Inc., to students pursuing four-year degrees in any area of agriculture education. Individual applicants displaying the greatest levels of financial need are considered first for the awards.

One-$5,000.00 scholarship, two-$2,000.00 awards, and 10 annual $1,000.00, non-renewable scholarships are offered by the Agricultural Division of the Wilbur Ellis Company. To qualify, applicants must achieve a minimum GPA of 3.0 and score at least 1100 on the SAT. This scholarship is available to students from California, Arizona, Nevada, Idaho, Washington, Wyoming, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah, Texas, Wisconsin, New Mexico, Oregon, Indiana, Michigan, and Minnesota.

For those applicants who are residents of Georgia, Florida, or Alabama majoring in agriculture or agriculture business, Birdsong Peanuts offers a $1,000.00 scholarship. The applicant’s family must be peanut producers to qualify for funding.

Ten scholarships, valued at $5,000.00 each ($1,250.00 per year) are made available by BNSF Railway Company. Recipients must maintain minimum eligibility standards, to receive funding in subsequent years. This scholarship competition is open to students from North Dakota, South Dakota, Texas, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Nebraska, Montana, Illinois, and California.

Daughters of American Agriculture

Daughters of American Agriculture Scholarships for Further Education provide annual funding for deserving female candidates.  The scholarships are worth one-thousand dollars each, and are distributed in two distinct categories:  One award is for applicants aged 18-23, while the other is offered to applicants who are 24 and older.  The financial awards qualify for higher education expenses related to agriculture, including courses covering:

• Agricultural Leadership
• Communications
• Rural Sociology
• Veterinary Medicine
• And other agricultural disciplines

Monsanto Scholarships

Unfortunately, the agricultural giant, Monsanto, recently suspended two scholarship programs offered for ag education.  The Commitment to Agriculture Scholarship and the Dekalb Ag Youth Scholarship are examples of the company’s commitment to agricultural education, which continues despite recent pare-downs in programs offered.

University of New Mexico, College of Agricultural Economic and Agricultural Business

This University of New Mexico Academic Department offers several scholarships for students majoring in agricultural business. Financial assistance is offered based on a combination of academic ability and demonstrated financial need,  In order to be considered for funding to be applied during the following fall semester, applications must be submitted by March 1st, each year.

North Carolina A&T State University

Each semester, two scholarships worth $1,000.00 each are awarded to full-time students majoring in agricultural business.  The awards are made possible by the Syngenta Scholars Program. North Carolina Agriculture and Technical State University requires applicants to seek funding with a A GPA of 3.0 or higher, and documented participation in extra-curricular activities.

State Chapters of the National Agri-Marketing Association provide annual scholarship assistance worth $600.00, to each qualified undergraduate applicant majoring in agricultural business, agricultural economics, or marketing.