Homegrown By Heroes scholarship applications due March 26

The Arkansas Department of Agriculture and Farm Credit Associations of Arkansas are partnering to provide two $1,000 Homegrown by Heroes academic scholarships to military veterans and active military personnel, their spouses, and children who are pursuing a degree in agriculture. Funding for the scholarships is generously provided by Farm Credit. Applications are due March 26, 2021 and are available at : agriculture. arkansas. gov/ arkansas- department-of-agriculture-programs/.

“We are proud to partner with Farm Credit to provide academic scholarships for the men and women, and their families, who have served our country in the military,” says Arkansas Agriculture Secretary Wes Ward. “Military service members and their families have many skills that make them great candidates for successful careers in agriculture. It is an honor to provide these scholarships as a way of thanking them for their service to our country.”

“The Farm Credit Associations of Arkansas appreciate the service Arkansas veterans and current military personnel give our country. We are pleased to help service members and their families pursue degrees and careers in the agricultural field by sponsoring these scholarships,” said James McJunkins, CEO and president of Farm Credit Midsouth.

Selection of scholarship recipients will be based on academic achievement, community involvement, extracurricular activities, financial need, and family circumstances. Preference will be given to Arkansas Homegrown by Heroes members, spouses, and their children, but membership is not required.

The scholarships are affiliated with Homegrown By Heroes, an Arkansas Department of Agriculture program that helps farmer veterans market their local agricultural products by labeling them as veteran-produced. Learn more about Homegrown by Heroes and find products grown or made by military veterans at arkansasgrown. org/homegrown-by-heroes/.

The Arkansas Department of Agriculture is dedicated to the development and implementation of policies and programs for Arkansas agriculture and forestry to keep its farmers and ranchers competitive in national and international markets while ensuring safe food, fiber, and forest products for the citizens of the state and nation. Visit agriculture. arkansas.gov/. The Arkansas Department of Agriculture offers its programs to all eligible persons regardless of race, color, national origin, sex, age, or disability and is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

With more than $3.7 billion in assets, AgHeritage Farm Credit Services, Farm Credit Midsouth, and Farm Credit of Western Arkansas support rural communities and agriculture across Arkansas with reliable, consistent credit and financial services today and tomorrow. In Arkansas, Farm Credit associations are owned by the more than 11,000 customer-owners they serve. Through the cooperative structure, customer-owners have a voice and vote in the associations’ governance. Members also share in the cooperatives’ financial success through cooperative returns which total more than $243 million since 1997.