Midwest Dairy has awarded a total of $4,500 in scholarship funds to six college students in Nebraska who are or will be working toward dairy or agricultural degrees. Scholarship amounts and recipients were selected based on the applicant’s participation as a leader in their community and their knowledge of the dairy and agricultural industries.

To be considered for this scholarship, applicants must be a full-time student at an accredited college and come from a dairy farm family in Nebraska.

Seth Racicky of Elk-Creek Dairy in Mason City is the recipient of a $1,500 scholarship toward his tuition at Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture.

Eli Wolfe of Wolfden Dairy in Kearney will receive a $1,000 scholarship. He plans to attend Northwest Missouri State University in the fall.

Students earning $500 scholarships include Faith Junck of Junck Dairy in Carroll; Sydney Schildt of Schildt Dairy in Pleasant Dale; Blake Racicky of Elk-Creek Dairy in Mason City; and Sarah Lammers of Jedon Farm LLC in Hartington.

Cooperative Council Education Foundation awards scholarships

The Nebraska Cooperative Council Education Foundation has awarded 11 scholarships totaling $31,000 for the 2020-21 academic year to students at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, the Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture at Curtis, and the University of Nebraska-Kearney.

Receiving a $3,000 NCCEF scholarship in honor of Robert C. Anderson is Emma Goosic, who will be a junior at UNL majoring in agribusiness.

Receiving a $3,000 NCCEF scholarship in honor of Michael S. Turner are Wesley Wach, who will be a junior at UNL majoring in agricultural economics; Maria Harthoorn, who will be a junior at UNL majoring in agricultural economics; Kyle Leners, who will be a senior at UNL majoring in agribusiness; Alice McDonald, who will be a senior at UNL majoring in agricultural economics; Elizabeth Yrkoski, who will be a senior at UNL majoring in agricultural economics; Callie Dethlefs, who will be a senior at UNL majoring in agribusiness; Alyssa Moser, who will be a freshman at UNL majoring in agricultural economics; and Michael Gibbens, who will be a junior at UNK majoring in agribusiness.

Receiving a $2,000 NCCEF scholarship in honor of Michael S. Turner are: Taylor Sayer, who will be a second-year student at NCTA majoring in ag production systems; and James Lee, who will be a first-year student at NCTA majoring in agribusiness.

Farm Bureau awards Student Project Grants

Nebraska Farm Bureau Student Project Grants, supported by the Charles Marshall Fund at the Nebraska Farm Bureau Foundation, were awarded to four deserving student Farm Bureau members in Thurston, Chase and Keith counties. Each student was awarded $1,000 to be used to either begin or expand their 4-H project or FFA Supervised Agricultural Experiences project.

Alexis Bodlak, a Thurston County Farm Bureau member, plans to use the grant money to access a space to raise plants for her SAE entrepreneurship project.

Morayah Cupp, a Chase County Farm Bureau member, plans to add 10 coops to her business, which involves renting out mobile chicken coops to families in her community.

Makenna Eisenzimmer, a Keith County Farm Bureau member, plans to use the grant money for construction costs for a small farrowing barn to farrow piglets for her show pig business.

Lindsey Mendenhall, a Chase County Farm Bureau member, plans to use the grant money to cover expenses and supplies for her SAE project, which involves raising and selling American Kennel Club-registered golden retrievers.

Funk to serve as interim Nebraska BQA coordinator

Rebecca Funk, assistant professor of practice in the University of Nebraska-Lincoln's school of veterinary medicine and biomedical sciences, will serve as the interim Nebraska Beef Quality Assurance coordinator. The role was formerly held by Rob Eirich, who has moved into a new position as an engagement zone coordinator for Nebraska Extension.

The position is a partnership among UNL, Nebraska Cattlemen, and the Nebraska Beef Council. The Beef Quality Assurance program provides information and resources to beef producers and consumers related to practices throughout the production process, mainly related to animal health, food safety and product quality.

Funk, who is based at the Great Plains Veterinary Educational Center in Clay Center, teaches elective veterinary student rotations.