Apply now - $25k in pork industry scholarships

Oct 25, 2024
By Farms.com

Pursue Ag careers with NPPC scholarships

The National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) is excited to announce the opening of the 2025 Lois Britt Memorial Pork Industry Scholarship application period. This prestigious scholarship, supported by CME Group and the National Pork Industry Foundation, grants ten $2,500 scholarships each year to college students who are poised to take leadership roles within the pork industry.

NPPC President Lori Stevermer highlighted the significance of nurturing new talent - “The strength of America’s pork industry lies in the hands of its future leaders.” This scholarship program is crucial for empowering students who are eager to contribute to the pork industry’s future.

Candidates must be undergraduate students enrolled in a two-year swine program or a four-year agriculture college. They are evaluated based on their essay responses to issues and potential solutions within the pork industry. The chosen recipients will be celebrated at the National Pork Industry Forum in Orlando, Florida, in March 2025.

The scholarship honors Lois Britt, a former NPPC board director and a passionate supporter of agricultural development during her tenures at the North Carolina Cooperative Extension and Smithfield Hog Production.

Interested students should apply by December 13, 2024. For more information, contact Jacob Sterle, NPPC’s Director of Industry Resource Development, via website – Click Here

Video: Dicamba Returns for Georgia Farmers: What the New EPA Ruling Means for Cotton Growers

After being unavailable in 2024 due to registration issues, dicamba products are returning for Georgia farmers this growing season — but under strict new conditions.

In this report from Tifton, Extension Weed Specialist Stanley Culpepper explains the updated EPA ruling, including new application limits, mandatory training requirements, and the need for a restricted use pesticide license. Among the key changes: a cap of two ½-pound applications per year and the required use of an approved volatility reduction agent with every application.

For Georgia cotton producers, the ruling is significant. According to Taylor Sills with the Georgia Cotton Commission, the vast majority of cotton planted in the state carries the dicamba-tolerant trait — meaning farmers had been paying for technology they couldn’t use.

While environmental groups have expressed concerns over spray drift, Georgia growers have reduced off-target pesticide movement by more than 91% over the past decade. Still, this two-year registration period will come with increased scrutiny, making stewardship and compliance more important than ever.