The 2019 ’Americas Farmers campaign has kicked off with the Grow Rural Education program launch, which provides Iowa farmers with the opportunity to nominate local rural public schools for $10,000 and $25,000 grants designed to enhance STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) curriculums. Grow Rural Education, sponsored by the Monsanto Fund, a philanthropic arm of Bayer, will award more than $2.3 million to local rural school districts in 2019 - giving farmers the opportunity to make a difference in their community and contribute to local students’ success. Farmers can nominate their school district by clicking here or by calling 1-877-267-3332 toll-free.
Previous winners include an Idaho school for students with hearing and vision loss that purchased a high-tech piece of equipment called an augmented sandbox, which allows students to learn about erosion, topography modeling and water ecosystems. A middle school in Illinois used part of a Grow Rural Education grant to purchase a 3-D printer that they used to build a prosthetic arm for a farmer who lost his arm in farming accident.
Later this year, the America’s Farmers programs continue with the Grow Communities program where farmers can enroll for the chance to direct a $2,500 donation to a local eligible nonprofit organization; and the Grow Ag Leaders program will begin accepting applications for $1,500 scholarships for students pursuing an education in agriculture-related fields.