GROWMARK Essay Contest

BLOOMINGTON, Ill. — The theme for the 2017 GROWMARK Essay Contest is: “What value do cooperatives provide to today’s farmers?” The contest is open to all high school FFA members in Illinois, Iowa, Missouri, and Wisconsin.

This is the 24th year for the program, sponsored by the GROWMARK System and FS member cooperatives, in conjunction with state FFA leaders, to help young people develop their writing skills, learn about current issues affecting agriculture, and understand the unique role of cooperatives.

Students will explore ways in which cooperatives help farmers remain competitive, and describe the value cooperatives provide to modern farms.

Essays will be submitted online for the first time this year. The deadline for all submissions is midnight on October 31, 2016. Additional program details have been sent to agriculture teachers and are online at www.growmark.com/company/youth-young-farmers/pages/essay-contest.aspx

Each state’s winner earns a $500 award and the winner’s FFA chapter receives a $300 award. Four runners-up per state each win $125 awards.

The program is offered annually and many agriculture teachers use it as part of their class curriculum. Past topics have included sustainability, careers in agriculture, and the cooperative principles.

About GROWMARK:

GROWMARK is an agricultural cooperative with annual sales of $8.8 billion (FY 2015 data) providing agronomy, energy, facility planning, and logistics products and services, as well as grain marketing and risk management services in more than 40 states and Ontario, Canada. GROWMARK owns the FS trademark, which is used by affiliated member cooperatives. More information is available at www.growmark.com.

— GROWMARK