This year's giving once again demonstrates state and county commitments to education.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - For the second year in a row, Kentucky Farm Bureau has broken a record for awarded scholarships for students across the Commonwealth.

This year, 575 college, technical, and proprietary scholarships totaling $790,950, were given to students across the Commonwealth surpassing last year’s giving of $751,250.

These numbers include state scholarships awarded by the KFB Educational Foundation and those given at the county level.

KFB President Eddie Melton said he is not surprised at these numbers considering the deep community connections of all county Farm Bureaus and the continued support seen at the state level.

“To say KFB is dedicated to education and our students who receive these scholarships every year would be a gross understatement,” he said. “For decades this organization has made the future of our young people a priority and the scholarship program is just one of the indicators that proves our commitment to education and future generations.”

Melton added that all scholarships, no matter the amount, are important to the recipients, the communities in which they live, and the future of Kentucky.

“Each of our counties make their scholarship programs a top priority each year, and I am incredibly proud of their efforts,” he said. “And at the end of the day, the opportunities they are giving our students to further their educations is what matters the most, no matter the size of the gift. Each dollar is equally important.”

Students who have received one of these scholarships have gone on to various careers. Mark Greene, a veterinarian practicing in Floyd County received one from that county in the 1980s. He said receiving the award helped greatly when he started his undergraduate studies at the University of Kentucky (UK).

“I was raised by a single parent, my dad, and we had a 200-acre farm, raising cattle, pigs, and hay, and I knew I wanted to be a veterinarian,” he said. “Farm Bureau definitely helped a lot and paved the way for me to get started with my education because a degree in veterinary medicine is not inexpensive and the scholarship helped me get a good start toward pursuing that degree. I've always been thankful for that."

After finishing vet school at Auburn University, Greene said he knew he wanted to come home to practice.

“It was always a dream of mine to come back to my community and serve the people in my area and also to get back on the family farm,” he said.

Greene, who also serves on the Floyd County Farm Bureau  (FCFB) board, said it’s important to help students in his area get the education they need to meet their financial needs.

“I feel like the Farm Bureau scholarships help a lot of families in this area to meet the financial needs of students going to school, and it’s important for them to come back because there is a great need for many different professions here.”

Saul Akers serves as the FCFB president. He said their scholarship program has a long history of providing scholarship money to local students.

“Our scholarship program began in 1964 and through the years we have awarded $380,000 to students in our county,” he said. “It really is one of the top priorities for our county.”

Akers added that it’s important to support students in this area as much as possible and through the years, many have come back after getting their education to live and work in their community.

“We have had so many great students go on to be veterinarians, or doctors, along with many other professions and many have come back home where we need them,” he said. “This scholarship program not only helps the students and their families but ultimately is beneficial to our entire county.”

Each year, FCFB invites their current winners along with past recipients to their Scholarship Night to hear from them and present their awards. Many winners also attend and the event has become a tradition for Floyd County.

There are also scholarship recipients who have found their way to the KFB state office including Weston Wolf who is currently serving as KFB Commodity Division Intern.

“I am a junior at UK majoring in Agriculture Economics with a minor in Animal Science and Business,” he said. “I’m from Campbell County where my family farms and are members of KFB. The scholarship I received through the Campbell County Farm Bureau has helped me greatly in pursuing my dreams within agriculture.”

Wolf noted that his scholarship money helped pay for his first year at the UK.

“Because of their comfort and support, it gave me a good sense of what kind of organization KFB is and ultimately lead me to apply for this internship,” he said. “I cannot thank KFB enough for the opportunities they have provided me, and this organization will always hold a close spot in my heart.”