Foundation

Growing tomorrow’s agriculture today

The Ohio Farm Bureau Foundation is committed to inspire and educate the next generation of farmers, ensuring the progress and prosperity of Ohio's agriculture far into the future. We create pathways for young people to learn about the variety and viability of careers in agriculture. Through scholarships, programming and grants, the foundation builds a growing workforce of up-and-coming farmers who are passionate and prepared to grow Ohio's agricultural communities.

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At the Ohio Farm Bureau Foundation, we believe that the key to a vital agricultural industry in the next decade—and countless decades beyond that—is helping young people understand all the growth opportunities agriculture offers.

Our work starts with what we call “ag literacy:” teaching students about agriculture and all the aspects of their lives that it impacts—whether it’s the milk they pour on their morning cereal or the wool sweater they grab when it’s chilly.

By helping young people gain ag literacy, we introduce them to the educational and employment possibilities related to farming. As they visit a tractor manufacturer, walk the rows at a biodynamic vineyard, or study heritage-breed chickens, they learn not only about the industry, but also about their own interests and purpose. They see that agriculture includes entomologists and engineers, pig ranchers and policy makers—and that it can include their aspirations and skills, too.

Through our work, the foundation inspires both the young people who will inherit the family farm, and those who will start their own entrepreneurial ventures. Those who love getting dirt on their hands, and those who love studying soil under a microscope. Those who want to climb into a combine, and those who want to climb the corporate ladder.

The foundation believes that every young person in Ohio has the potential to grow their
career in agriculture.

That’s why we need your help to grow the foundation’s potential.

Supporting and Sustaining Growth

To cultivate future generations of Ohio farmers, the foundation takes a
three-pronged approach to inspiring their interest in and commitment to agriculture.

Scholarships: We award scholarships to students planning to pursue careers in agriculture and related fields.
Innovative programming: Our signature science program, ExploreAg, offers free week- and day-long immersion programs for high-school students. In ExploreAg, teens learn about agriculture and related STEM fields from industry experts, scientists, and educators.
Grants: We issue grants to county Farm Bureaus that help young people embrace food, agriculture, and environmental careers, and to programs advancing agricultural education. Ohio Farm Bureau’s Growing Tomorrow Grant provides grants to new or early-stage agricultural businesses.