Since creating the Thank You Farmers Project in 2013, Culver’s has raised $3 million to support agricultural education.
The Thank You Farmers Project is about more than showing appreciation for the hard work of today’s farmers: It’s about ensuring we have enough food to serve our growing population by supporting agricultural education efforts that encourage smart farming. One way that Culver’s does this is by supporting FFA.
“Today’s FFA members are tomorrow’s ag leaders,” says Alison Wedig, Culver’s marketing specialist and former Wisconsin FFA president. “Many of these students will go on to dedicate their careers to ensuring a sustainable future food supply, so we want to support them and give them a forum to share their voices and passions.”
One of the many ways that Culver’s supports FFA is through the annual FFA Essay Contest – which just launched on Feb. 22, 2021, for its seventh year.
Like past years, three winners will be chosen to receive funds for their FFA chapters in the totals of $7,500, $5,000, and $2,500. Because the pandemic has made it very difficult for FFA chapters to host their own fundraisers, the prize money will help the winning chapters pursue educational projects and initiatives that otherwise may have gone unfunded.
As always, the contest is a chance for students to demonstrate their passion for agricultural education. New this year, students will also be able to submit videos for the contest. This entry method was introduced to recognize the public speaking and presentation skills students develop in FFA and allow them to showcase those abilities.
This year’s prompt is:
- What lessons has the agriculture industry learned from the COVID-19 pandemic? How can we use these learnings to improve the industry to ensure a sustainable future?
Both written essays (1,000 words or less) and videos (5 minutes or less) will be accepted at culvers.com/essaycontest until the deadline of April 19, 2021, at 5 p.m. CT.
Learn more about how Culver’s supports FFA chapters through Thank You Farmers Project fundraising.
Source: Culver’s news release