This year, Kentucky Farm Bureau’s (KFB) Education Foundation awarded more money in scholarships than ever in its history. The Foundation has announced 561 Kentucky students were awarded a total of $751,250 in scholarships for postsecondary education, a record-setting amount for KFB. Both state and county scholarships were awarded to the high school seniors pursuing higher education.

Statewide scholarships included students attending a Kentucky college or university and pursuing a four-year degree in animal health/veterinary technology or a related field; students attending a Kentucky college or university who come from farm families; students attending a trade school; graduate students pursuing a graduate degree in the University of Kentucky’s College of Agriculture, Food and Environment; students attending a Kentucky college or university and pursuing a four-year degree in horticulture or landscape architecture; and more.

For the various county scholarships, to be eligible, the applicant’s parent(s) or legal guardian(s) must be a member of the county Farm Bureau sponsoring the scholarship. Recipients must maintain their county Farm Bureau membership while the scholarship is in force. For some county scholarships, if the student majors in agriculture, the scholarship increases.

“The education of future generations of Kentuckians is a top priority for our organization,” said Mark Haney, KFB President. “We are proud to award scholarships to hardworking and bright students with deep roots in their rural communities and provide them access to postsecondary education. We look forward to continuing the tradition of furthering Kentucky students’ academic goals, both in agriculture and other studies, and helping lead them to a bright future.”

Scholarships – submitted directly to the college, university or trade school – may be applied to the recipient’s tuition, housing, books and other educational expenses. Recipients must be a child of a Kentucky Farm Bureau member and remain such while the scholarship is in force and is based on successful completion of secondary education within the year they apply for the scholarship. For the Leadership in Agriculture Scholarship specifically, the recipient’s parents must be actively engaged in production agriculture.

“We look forward to the future success of these scholarships recipients as they follow their educational pursuits and develop into Kentucky’s next generation of leaders,” added Haney.

You can learn more about Kentucky Farm Bureau and the scholarship program by visiting kyfb.com/scholarships.