The Arkansas Agriculture Department (AAD) and Farm Credit have announced the 2019 recipients of the Homegrown by Heroes academic scholarship program. The program is affiliated with the Arkansas Agriculture Department’s Homegrown by Heroes branding program that assists farmers who are veterans market their local ag products by labeling them as veteran-produced.

With help from Gov. Asa Hutchinson, the AAD launched the program in 2015. “It is an honor to award the Homegrown by Heroes scholarships to help fund the education of these young men and women,” says Wes Ward, Arkansas Agriculture Secretary. “This effort would not happen without the generous funding of our partnering organization, Farm Credit.”

The program is open to military veterans, currently-serving military personnel, and their spouses, children or grandchildren who are pursuing an agricultural or an ag-related degree. Recipients were selected based on academic achievement, community involvement, extracurricular activities, financial need, and family circumstances.

This year’s recipients of the $1,000 scholarship include: Taylor John Brandt, who will be attending the University of Arkansas; Brenna Cannon, who attends Arkansas State University; Brent Benjamin Carper, who attends Arkansas State University; Paul Cole, who attends Southern Arkansas University; Nicholas Maynard, who will be attending the University of Arkansas at Monticello; Baylee McLellan, who will be attending Southern Arkansas University; Emma Ragsdale, who attends Arkansas State University, and Baxter Wallis, who attends Arkansas Tech University.