Education Grants
The AgStar Fund for Rural America supports farmers and rural communities with education grants.
Belle Plaine FFA – Provided funds to purchase an enclosed trailer, equipment supplies to promote and educate the public about agriculture.
The Center for Farm Financial Management in the Department of Applied Economics at the University of Minnesota. Funds from the grant will be used for workshops throughout the state on Post-Harvest Marketing Strategies.
Education for Agricultural Sustainability – Provided general operating support to expand the Dairy Profitability Enhancement Program (DPED) to involve nine additional producers in a team diagnostic program.
Minnesota Agriculture & Rural Leadership (MARL) – Provided funds for program general operating costs. Thirty agricultural and rural leaders refine their skills through a two-year leadership development educational experience designed specifically for agricultural and rural arenas.
The St. James Public School District’s Agriculture Department – Funds from the grant will be used to construct a greenhouse for students to gain knowledge of soil and water testing and raising crops in traditional and nontraditional methods. Prepares students for a career in agriculture and horticulture.
Windom FFA/Windom Area Schools – Provided funds to build a greenhouse for agricultural education, giving students first-hand knowledge of business management as well as learning plant growth requirements and environmental factors involved in agriculture.
To find out more about the AgStar Fund for Rural America, contact Jody Bloemke, Fund Administrator. Email Jody.Bloemke@AgStar.com, call 507-345-5656, or write to P.O. Box 4249, Mankato, MN 56002.