Ohio Farm Bureau Foundation awards 2025 Workforce Development & Ag Literacy Grants
Grants support ag-related programming that enhances agricultural literacy efforts while creating pathways for young people to learn about ag careers.
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Farm life can be demanding and stressful, and the mental health challenges that come with it is an ongoing problem. Ohio Farm Bureau has been a part of many initiatives to raise mental health awareness and reduce stigma surrounding the issue in rural communities.
Now in its second year, the Yvonne Lesicko Perseverance Prize, the “Y Prize” for short, recognizes groups or individuals working to find innovative solutions to farmer mental health difficulties, including addressing obstacles in accessing resources, lessening stigma around mental health concerns and collaborating among health care, rural medicine and agriculture groups.
“We hope the Y Prize can provide recognition and a ‘thank you’ to groups and individuals working to advance this cause,” said Kelly Burns, executive director of the Ohio Farm Bureau Foundation.
The prize was created by the Yvonne Lesicko Memorial Fund, which was established to recognize the life and career of Yvonne Lesicko, former Ohio Farm Bureau vice president of public policy. Housed within the Ohio Farm Bureau Foundation, the Yvonne Lesicko Memorial Fund has raised more than $90,000 thanks to the generous support of more than 300 donors.
Recipient recognition
The Y Prize award recipient, whether an individual or a group, will be given a platform to share their work and efforts. As part of the award, Ohio Farm Bureau will feature and recognize the award recipient in publications and social media, at the state annual meeting (Dec. 8-9, 2022) and during the Young Ag Professional Winter Leadership Experience (Jan. 27-28, 2023). All of this is part of the award’s goal of lessening the stigma surrounding mental health issues.
How to apply
Nominations are being accepted through July 31, 2022.
Online extra
The plan we are on is great. It’s comparable to my previous job's plan, and we are a sole proprietor.
To grow a network and gain perspective and knowledge in the industry through personal and professional development has been invaluable. Every day I learn and grow.
The issue of property taxation remains as one of the biggest challenges our members face today. Ensuring agricultural property is valued for its agricultural potential and not development is critical to the continued success of Ohio agriculture.
Farm Bureau is what really got the word out. It’s been one of their goals to get this done.
I could not have done it without the resources I have found through Farm Bureau.
Because we are younger farmers just starting out, Farm Bureau has a lot of good opportunities and resources to help us grow in the future.
Through the Select Partner program, we became educated in farm insurance and weren't just selling policies. It became more and more clear why farmers need an advocate like Ohio Farm Bureau.
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