$2,500 Graduate Scholarship Designed to Support Future of Agriculture

Advancements in agriculture research and technology are essential to tomorrow’s farmers and ranchers. To support the future of South Dakota’s family farmers and ranchers, South Dakota Farmers Union (SDFU) Foundation provides a $2,500 scholarship annually to a South Dakota graduate student, pursuing an agriculture degree.

“The future success of South Dakota’s agriculture industry depends on the next generation of agriculture educators, professionals and researchers,” explains Doug Sombke, SDFU President and a fourth-generation Conde farmer.

Researchers like 2018 scholarship recipient, Jasdeep Singh. Singh’s graduate research focuses on the long-term impacts of cover crops, crop rotations and conservation tillage systems on soil health, moisture availability and economic profitability in South Dakota.

“Concerns regarding environmental quality and sustainable productivity of agroecosystems call for the adoption of conservation management strategies to safeguard soil, water and air resources,” Singh explains. “Cover crops, crop rotations and conservation tillage systems are among the most promising conservation practices. This project targets the corn, soybean, oats and wheat producers in South Dakota.”

Singh hopes his research will encourage the adoption of conservation management practices and systems to improve soil health, environmental quality, moisture availability and grower profitability.

Scholarship deadline is Dec. 15, 2019

Also sponsored by Travelers Motor Club, scholarship preference is given to students from South Dakota who have/had an affiliation with Farmers Union. Awards are for one academic year, beginning in the fall, and students may reapply at the end of the award period. Eligible graduate students include on-campus and distance education students who are pursuing any master’s or doctoral program, agriculture teacher certification program (CERT/FCSC) or graduate certificate program (GCERT).

To learn more, contact Karla Hofhenke, Executive Director, South Dakota Farmers Union, at [email protected] or call 605-352-6761 ext.114.

To apply, visit http://www.sdfufoundation.org/scholarships/agricultural-graduate-school-scholarship.