The Iowa Corn Growers Association and Iowa Corn Promotion Board are again offering the Iowa Corn Future of Agriculture scholarships to aid in the development of future talent for the Iowa agriculture industry. This year, Iowa Corn will award 16 of the $1,000 one-year scholarships to qualified students enrolled at an accredited U.S. two-year or four-year junior college, college or university, or graduate school, in a program of study to equip them in contributing to Iowa's agriculture.

"One perk of my position as an Iowa Corn Promotion Board director is being able to help identify and mentor young scholars and leaders," says Larry Buss, a farmer from Logan who chairs the Iowa Corn Grassroots Network, membership and checkoff committee. "This scholarship program is an important initiative to develop and encourage the future leaders of agriculture in Iowa. We’ve seen our investment in this scholarship program returned in full, as many past recipients have gone on to pursue exciting careers within our industry."

Iowa Corn Future of Ag scholarship
Here’s what this scholarship offers and what you need to know to apply, Buss says:
• Eight of the $1,000 first-year scholarships are reserved for high school seniors entering their first year of college, one from each Iowa Corn district field manager territory.

• Eight of the $1,000 upperclassmen scholarships are reserved for students entering their second, third or fourth year of college, or who are enrolled in a graduate program — one from each Iowa Corn district field manager territory.

• Scholarships are for one year, and previous winners may reapply.

• Scholarships may be used to offset tuition, school supplies or student housing.

• Funds will be issued on behalf of each student to his or her college financial aid department in August, but entering freshman must successfully complete the first college term and those funds will be applied to second-term expenses.

• Scholarships are awarded for the 2017-18 school year.

• Applicant must be an ICGA member or the son or daughter of an ICGA member.

For complete program description and rules or to apply, go to iowacorn.org for an application. All materials must be completed and postmarked by Feb. 2. Questions can be directed to Don Mason, Iowa Corn director of grower services at 515-225-9242 or [email protected].

Attend Iowa Renewable Fuels Summit
In other corn-related news, ICGA is reminding farmers who are interested in the future of ethanol and biodiesel in Iowa to attend the upcoming 2018 Iowa Renewable Fuels Summit. Presented by the Iowa Renewable Fuels Association, the one-day conference will be Jan. 30 at The Meadows Conference Center, at Prairie Meadows in Altoona, on the northeast edge of Des Moines.

The conference runs from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. and attendance is free and open to the public. Preregistration is required. This is the second-largest biofuels policy conference in the country, says Lucy Norton, marketing director for the IRFA. “Industry leaders will be there, and with this lineup of good speakers, you can learn about the health benefits of clean-burning fuels, how trade policy will shape future opportunities, and the market outlook for biofuels and coproducts, along with future policy expectations.