The Arkansas Department of Agriculture and Farm Credit Associations of Arkansas are partnering to provide a $1,000 Homegrown by Heroes scholarship to military veterans and active military personnel to attend the Center for Arkansas Farm and Food’s Farm School, a comprehensive training program for new or beginning specialty crop producers. Funding for the scholarship is generously provided by Farm Credit. Applications are due September 1, 2022 and are available at: agriculture.arkansas.gov/arkansas-department-of-agriculture-programs/.
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/.
“We are proud to partner with Farm Credit to provide a scholarship for the men and women who have served our country in the military,” says Arkansas Agriculture Secretary Wes Ward. “Military service members have many skills that make them great candidates for successful careers in agriculture. It is an honor to provide this scholarship 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 pursue careers in the agricultural field by sponsoring these scholarships,” said Brandon Haberer, CEO and president of Farm Credit of Western Arkansas.
The Center for Arkansas Farms and Food’s Farm School is an 11-month program at the Milo Shult Ag Research and Extension Center on the University of Arkansas campus in Fayetteville. The Farm School combines hands-on specialty crop farming with classes in production, business, and legal issues through classroom instruction and hands-on field activities. This comprehensive approach is specifically designed for beginning farmers of fruit, vegetable, flowers, and herbs who are interested in selling to local and regional markets. The 2023 program starts in January, with classes and farm work scheduled for approximately 20 hours per week, Monday through Thursday. The total cost of the program is $2,500. More information about the Farm School can be found at LearnToFarm.org.
Selection of scholarship recipients will be based on career goals, goals for farm/ranch, experience, and financial need. Preference will be given to Arkansas Homegrown By Heroes members, but membership is not required.
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, the Farm Credit Associations of Arkansas support rural communities and agriculture across Arkansas with reliable, consistent credit and financial services today and tomorrow. In Arkansas, the Farm Credit Associations of Arkansas are owned by the more than 22,000 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 $293 million since 1997.
