The Ohio Agricultural Council is offering up to six $1,500 scholarships to students pursuing their education in agricultural-related areas of study, and to help promote agriculture and agri-business as a growing field of career opportunities.

Scholarship recipients are selected based on excellent academic record, outstanding leadership qualities, community involvement and exceptional essay responses. High school and college students are encouraged to apply.

"To align with our mission of building a bright future for agriculture, we are pleased to provide an opportunity for students to further their education with assistance from the Ohio Agricultural Council Scholarship fund,” says Hinda Mitchell, OAC president. "We have been pleased to see this program grow year after year, which suggests agriculture continues to provide a strong foundation for growing careers.”

USDA reports that 10% of all jobs in the U.S. are attributable to agriculture or related industries. Over the next five years, USDA projects 57,900 jobs per year will be needed annually in agriculture and food production, but anticipates only about 35,400 college graduates in those fields.

Applicants or their parent or legal guardian must be a resident of the state of Ohio. The applicants must have declared, or plan to declare, a major in agriculture at any two-year or four-year college or university. The application deadline for the 2018-2019 school year is Feb. 28. A committee of active OAC members will review and select applicants.

Scholarship recipients will be notified no later than April 15 of their award, and will be recognized at OAC's annual Ohio Agricultural Hall of Fame Awards Program on Aug. 3 at the 2018 Ohio State Fair in the Cardinal Hall building. As part of the award, the scholarship recipients will receive a one-year complimentary OAC membership.

For more information about OAC, or to download the application for the 2018-2019 school year scholarship, visit ohioagcouncil.org.

Source: OAC