2026 Virginia Farm Bureau Outstanding Young Agriculturalist

2026 Outstanding Young Agriculturalist

Deadline: April 30, 2026
Purpose
- To recognize high school junior or senior students for outstanding academic, community and agricultural achievement. (Must be a junior or senior on March 31 of the year of competition.)
- To encourage students to evaluate their progress and career goals.
- To stimulate students’ interest in striving for leadership opportunities and involvement in the agriculture and/or agribusiness industries.
Application, Judging, and Deadline
- The application must be completed and submitted by April 17, 2026 by filling out this electronic application or printing and mailing it to VFBF Young Farmers, Attn: Kelly Roberts, PO Box 27552, Richmond, VA 23261.
- It is recommended that you write out your answers to the narrative questions in a Word doc and copy and paste them into this application.
- You may also save your work and continue at a later time. Scroll to the bottom of the application and hit Save. If you do not wish you create a Jotform account, you can hit "Skip Create an Account," and you will receive a link to finish your application at a later time.
- Judges will evaluate applications received by the deadline and select finalists by early May. All applicants will be notified of standings by e-mail or phone; finalists will be given additional instructions for the state competition at that time.
- An oral presentation (speech) will be required for finalists competing in the state contest. Finalists will compete for the state title at the Young Farmers Summer Expo held July 24-26 in Tappahannock.
Scoring Rubric

The following point values will be used by the judges in scoring this award:
- 20 points Academic
- 20 points General Leadership
- 25 points Farm/Agriculture-related Experience
- 10 points Recommendations
- 25 points Oral Presentation- only for finalists
  - a. Theme to be announced when finalists are notified.
    b. Presentation will be 3-5 minutes in length -- no need to send with application but must be ready to give your speech if chosen as a finalist for competition at the state level. (No props or Power Point presentations are allowed)
Awards and Recognition
- The state winner will receive a cash scholarship of $1,500 sponsored by Farm Credit, Southern Farm Bureau and the Virginia Farm Bureau Young Farmers Committee. A runner-up will receive $500 from VAFB Young Farmers.
- All finalists and parents, if desired, will have hotel and meal expenses covered during the Young Farmers Summer Expo event. The competition will include making your presentation and answering questions from judges during a 10-minute speech and interview process.
- Each finalist, other than the state winner & runner-up, will receive a $250 award sponsored by Virginia’s Farm Credit Associations and Southern Farm Bureau Life Insurance Company.
For more information or questions, contact Kelly Roberts, Director of VFBF Special Programs, at 804-837-6194 or kelly.roberts@vafb.com.
APPLICATION DEADLINE: April 30, 2026

Outstanding Young Agriculturalist Award Application
Name

First NameMiddle NameLast Name
Home Address

Street Address

Street Address Line 2

CityState / Province

Postal / Zip Code
CountyDate Of Birth
Cell/ Primary Phone Number
Please enter a valid phone number.Format: (000) 000-0000.
Email Address
example@example.com
Parent(s) Name

FatherMother
High School
Check one
School Address

Street Address

Street Address Line 2

CityState / Province

Postal / Zip Code
School Phone
Please enter a valid phone number.Format: (000) 000-0000.

1. Academic - 20 points
Current Grade Point Average: blanks
What was your favorite class in school and why?
What are your current and future academic goals?
2. General Leadership - 20 points
List the organizations in which you are a member. Describe the leadership role in each and/or the projects or activities involved. (Include high school, church, civic, sports, etc.)
Describe your off-farm work experience including name of employer and skills developed.
3. Farm/Ag-Related Experience - 25 points
Describe your participation and leadership roles in 4-H, FFA, Farm Bureau and other agriculture related organizations.
Describe your on-farm work experience and any other farm-related experiences.
Describe your county fair and/or State Fair participation.
Why do you feel you should be selected to receive the Outstanding Young Agriculturalist Award?

4. Recommendation letters and other requirements - 10 points (Letters)
a. Attach two letters of recommendation. One must be school-related, and one must be agriculture-related.

b. Send a high-quality photograph or e-mail a digital copy that can be used for publicity purposes.
Letter #1

Cancelof
Letter #2

Cancelof
Photo

Cancelof
Provide a 5-7 line personal biography in third person:
I understand that by signing this application, I have included information that can be verified as truthful in all accounts. I also understand that my photo and background information may be used by Virginia Farm Bureau for publicity purposes in highlighting winners and finalists of the program.
Applicant's Signature
Date

MonthDayYear
Should be Empty:

2026 Outstanding Young Agriculturalist

Purpose

Application, Judging, and Deadline

Scoring Rubric

Awards and Recognition

APPLICATION DEADLINE: April 30, 2026

Outstanding Young Agriculturalist Award Application

1. Academic - 20 points

2. General Leadership - 20 points

3. Farm/Ag-Related Experience - 25 points

4. Recommendation letters and other requirements - 10 points (Letters)

I understand that by signing this application, I have included information that can be verified as truthful in all accounts. I also understand that my photo and background information may be used by Virginia Farm Bureau for publicity purposes in highlighting winners and finalists of the program.