The agriculture industry is built upon a long legacy of hard work, innovation, and resilience that has provided food and supplies for Americans for generations. Now, it’s time to defend that legacy and invest in future agriculture leaders who will carry the torch forward.
Bayer supports youth in rural and urban communities with the resources, experience, and education they need to pursue careers in agriculture. We’re also proud to work with time-honored agriculture organizations like 4-H and the National FFA Organization and participate in ag forums and grants to open new doors for youth in agriculture.
And the impact of these programs is clear. We’ve seen ag youth go on to find careers as data scientists, engineers, agronomists and more. With the right resources and connections, students have shown that ag’s future will be a bright one.
For generations, American agriculture leaders have worked tirelessly to support their communities and environment. Now, it’s up to the ag community to equip youth to carry this tradition forward. Bayer and FFA are excited to participate in this legacy by providing grants, educational programs and real-world experiences to youth in agriculture.
Bayer has committed over $20 million to FFA and agriculture education since 1954, with a keen focus on supporting agriculture in meaningful ways that create excitement for farming’s future and open opportunities for youth to lead the way.
Core elements of the decades-long partnership include:
Agriculture cannot be boiled down to a set of numbers or facts. It’s a deep connection with earth, science, and people that requires hands-on application. The Bayer-sponsored Supervised Agricultural Experience (SAE) grant program helps future farmers bring their learnings into the real world by funding real-world agribusiness and research ideas.
Unsurprisingly, participants continue to deliver. From pumpkin crop yields to honey bee colonization, SAE grant winners forecast a bright future for future agriculture leaders.
"We know FFA is creating tomorrow’s leaders who will be in our shoes one day, and we want to do everything we can to set them up for successful futures."
Grow Ag Leaders scholarship program, sponsored by Bayer Fund, engages future generations in agriculture by raising awareness of the diverse career opportunities in the industry and by providing $1,500 scholarships that enable students to further their education. Get more information and apply for this program below.
Head, Heart, Hands, and Health. These founding principles have guided Bayer’s partnership with 4-H for the past 5 years as we’ve worked together to nurture youth talent in science and agriculture.
With innovation at an all-time high, sustainability challenges to face, and a world to feed, the farming community’s responsibility continues to grow. Bayer’s partnership with 4-H equips future generations to support farming for generations through Science Matters, a program that includes ag and STEM education pathways, community building for youth in agriculture, and hands-on opportunities to learn and innovate.
Ag & STEM student curriculumTo date, Science Matters has reached more than 1 million youth, across the country through the direct distribution of engaging, hands-on curriculum bundles focused on a variety of activities including STEM, gardening, water conservation and food safety. With Bayer’s support of 4-H National Youth Science Day in 2019, more than 300,000 youth received access to the Game Changers computer science (CS) curriculum where they used CS to create games and solve problems. | |||
National 4-H Agri-Science SummitSince 2018, Bayer’s support for the Agri-Science Summit has provided more than 1,000 youth and adults from across the country the opportunity to take a deeper look at modern agriculture. Sixty percent of these delegates attended the Summit on Bayer-sponsored scholarships. While at the Summit, teams of delegates create community action plans to address a challenge in their community with agriculture and science-based solutions. When they return home, they continue to work with their team to put the plan in action. | |||
Agriculture Innovator’s Experience (AIE)AIE topics such as pollinators and water quality drive youth awareness of, and interest in, agriculture innovation and agriculture careers. After participating in the AIE, 58% of youth said that they have a better understanding of how science and engineering help solve real life problems. | |||
4-H STEM ChallengeEach year, 4‑H challenges young people across the country to solve issues in the community and around the world through STEM learning and exploration through 4‑H National Youth Science Day. This annual event introduces youth to various STEM concepts with easy and fun topics relatable to real-world issues. As the national partner of the program, Bayer supports in the development of the challenge, which aims to inspire kids everywhere to take an interest in STEM topics through hands-on learning. |