Agriculture students are encouraged to apply for 66 college scholarships offered by the IAA Foundation. The scholarships, ranging from $1,000 to $7,500 per year, will be awarded in total of $118,500 for the 2016-2017 school year. A full listing of available scholarships, eligibility guidelines, and application documents are available at the Foundation website. Completed applications must be submitted online by Feb. 1, 2016.

“We are pleased to help students through our growing scholarship program, which offers a wide variety of support to farm families, and to those pursuing careers in agriculture,” said Susan Moore, director, IAA Foundation. “It is a great privilege to support our next generation of leaders, and encourage continuing education in agricultural fields.”

For all scholarship information, please check the IAA Foundation website at www.iaafoundation.org.

Students may apply for a variety of scholarships, including three IAA Foundation Top Scholarships, where winners will each receive $5,000 awards. Another $7,500 award goes to the Illinois Farm Bureau Legacy of Leadership scholarship winner. 

New this year, the Dwain Ford Memorial Soybean Scholarship, established by colleagues, friends and family to honor the memory of this long-time leader of the soybean industry Dwain Ford, offers a $1,000 award to an agriculture student active in 4-H and FFA. 

Students studying crop science and pursuing a master’s degree related to research are eligible for the Illinois Soybean Association Crop Science Scholarships. Five $4,000 scholarship will be awarded to junior level majors. Recipients are then eligible for an additional $4,000 in this renewable program, providing a total of $8,000 for recipients’ junior and senior years of college. 

The Dorothy and Wilhelmine Ratermann Memorial Scholarships will be awarded to 25 students from specific southern Illinois counties in the amount of $1,200 each. 

Twelve Prairie Farms Dairy scholarships, each worth $2,000, are available to patrons and employees of the company. An additional two $1,000 scholarships are available to producers affiliated with the St. Louis District Dairy Council. 

Additional scholarships, ranging from $1,000 to $1,500, are available to students that meet certain criteria, including area of study, place of residence, previous 4-H experience and college or university attended.

All applicants must be high school seniors accepted for enrollment, or students already enrolled at an accredited college, university or community college.

Scholarships are awarded for exceptional academic ability, leadership and financial need. Previous winners of an IAA Foundation scholarship are eligible to apply again.

For more information contact the IAA Foundation at 309-557-2230 or e-mail Susan Moore, director, IAA Foundation, at smoore@ilfb.org.