The Far West Agribusiness Association has a long history of recognizing academic achievement. The regional group — which covers Idaho, Washington, Oregon, Nevada and Utah — has members that include ag retailers, wholesalers, applicators, suppliers and agronomists, and the group awards $10,000 in scholarships every year.

For 2017, a wide range of highly qualified applicants came forward for the program, and the association has chosen 17 students to receive scholarships for the school year beginning this fall.

Applicants are reviewed by the association's scholarship committee, which studies each application, scoring applicants with regard to their grade point average, resume presentation, letters of recommendation and their essay topic.

Each applicant selected two issues facing agriculture from a list that included: groundwater-quality-related issues; sustainability; agriculture's role in a global market feeding 9.7 billion people by 2050; climate changes; and social acceptance of a genetically modified organism. Their essays were written incorporating their selection and addressed "How agriculture should advocate for its industry."

Here's a list of winners for 2017. The group includes college students and high school students.

• The college honorees include Eric Ball, Moscow, Idaho; Pierce Claassen, Clarkston, Wash.; Emma Gibbs, Umpqua, Ore.; Macy Hagler, Meridian, Idaho; Dain Johnson, Caldwell, Idaho; Maxwell Mielke, Davenport, Wash.; and Dustin Winston, Moscow, Idaho.

• High school honorees include Mikel Berria, Fruitland, Idaho; Katelyn Hall, Emmett, Idaho; Claire Hammond, Diamond, Ore.; Riley Haun, Wilder, Idaho; Travis, Neal, Parma, Idaho; Jocie Osika, Coeur D'Alene, Idaho; Alyssa Richmond, Walker Lake, Nev.; Ashley Rife, Yerington, Nev.; Megan Smith, Melba, Idaho; and Kateleen Vetter, Turner, Ore.

You can learn more about FWAA at fwaa.org.

Source: Far West Business Association