Even more scholarship money will be available for Michigan youth showing livestock in 2019.

Since 2000, the Michigan Youth Livestock Scholarship Fund has awarded $533,000 in scholarships and educational awards to outstanding youth who have exhibited at the premier livestock events in the state.

In 2019, a select number of applicants may be offered an opportunity to be interviewed, at the discretion of MYLSF, before the Michigan Livestock Expo Sale-Abration event for larger scholarship awards up to $5,000.

To be eligible for either the MYLSF general scholarship or the statewide scholarship, the applicant must be a resident of Michigan and a graduating high school senior or a high school graduate continuing their education at an accredited institution in the year in which they are applying.

For the general MYLSF scholarship, the applicant must be a youth exhibitor at the Michigan Livestock Expo, the Michigan Dairy Expo or the former Michigan State Fair for a minimum of three calendar years before the year of application.

For the statewide scholarship, an applicant must be a youth exhibitor at a local, county or statewide exhibition for a minimum of three years before the year of application.

Proceeds from the Michigan Livestock Expo Sale-Abration auction, as well as charitable donations, help fund the scholarships. The fund is governed by a 10-member board comprised of volunteers from Michigan’s agricultural community.

In 2018, about $15,000 was deposited in the Michigan Education Saving Plans for youth exhibitors that compete in judging and showmanship events at the Michigan Livestock Expo on the Michigan State University campus.

Last year’s scholarship recipients included:

Applications and qualification requirements for the MYLSF and the statewide scholarship can be obtained at www.michigan.gov/mda-mylsf. Applications must be postmarked no later than May 17.

For information, contact Jeff Haarer, Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, at 517-284-5642 or Ernie Birchmeier, Michigan Farm Bureau, at 517-679-5335.

Source: Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, which is solely responsible for the information provided and is wholly owned by the source. Informa Business Media and all its subsidiaries are not responsible for any of the content contained in this information asset.