The Arkansas Agriculture Department (AAD) and Farm Credit recently partnered to provide four $1,000 Homegrown by Heroes academic scholarships to military veterans, currently serving military personnel and their spouses or children who are pursuing an agricultural or an agriculture-related degree. The Farm Credit associations of Arkansas – AgHeritage Farm Credit Services, Farm Credit Mid-America and Farm Credit of Western Arkansas – and their more than 11,000 customer-owners generously provided the funding.  

The Homegrown by Heroes scholarship is affiliated with the Arkansas Agriculture Department’s Homegrown by Heroes branding program that helps farmer veterans market their local agricultural products by labeling them as veteran-produced. Farm Credit has supported the national Homegrown by Heroes program and its adoption by agriculture departments and farmer veterans across the country for more than five years.

“We are proud to partner with Farm Credit to provide academic scholarships for the men and women, and their families, that have served our country in the military,” said Arkansas Agriculture Secretary Wes Ward. “Military service members and their families have many skills that make them great candidates for successful careers in agriculture. It is an honor to provide these scholarships as a way of thanking them for their service to our country.”

“The Farm Credit associations of Arkansas appreciate the service Arkansas veterans and current military personnel give our country. We are pleased to help service members and their families pursue degrees and careers in the agricultural field by sponsoring these new scholarships,” said James McJunkins.

Selection of scholarship recipients is based on academic achievement, community involvement, extracurricular activities, financial need and family circumstances. Preference is given to Arkansas Homegrown by Heroes members, spouses and their children. For more information on the scholarships, visit the AAD website.