May 2008

Outstanding Young Agriculturalist
Award entries due Oct. 1

Entries are being accepted through Oct. 1 for the Outstanding Young Agriculturalist Award. Co-sponsored by the Virginia Farm Bureau Federation’s Women’s and Young Farmer Committees, the award recognizes high school juniors and seniors for outstanding academic, community and agribusiness achievement.

“It’s a tough business to get into if not inheriting a farm,” said Jim Belfield, chief marketing and technical officer for Colonial Farm Credit, a sponsor of the award. “We do anything we can do to give young farmers a leg up and support that side of the industry.”

Belfield said the Virginia Farm Credit Associations sponsor the event by displaying award information in their offices and sharing it with their loan officers, in addition to providing monetary support.

“We’re big supporters of anything with agriculture, especially younger farmers,” Belfield said. “That’s who is going to be leading agriculture in the future.”

District winners will receive travel packages to the VFBF Annual Convention in November and be awarded $100 each, courtesy of the Virginia Farm Credit Associations.

The state winner will receive a $750 grand prize consisting of $250 from Virginia Farm Credit Associations, $250 from the Young Farmer Committee and $250 and a certificate from the Women’s Committee.

Entry forms with details are available at county Farm Bureau offices and online.