Small Town News

Ag foundation seeks support for Monsanto Fund award program

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From now through July 31, farmers in 67 Kansas counties have the opportunity to win awards to help local non-profit organizations. The awards are available through Monsanto Fund's America's Farmers Grow Communities Projectâ„¢, a new program being offered in select counties in California, Kansas, Nebraska, North Carolina, Ohio, South Carolina and South Dakota. Through the program, farmers can enter to win the chance to direct $2,500 awards to local nonprofit organizations that are important to them and their communities.

The program is intended to benefit non-profit community groups like Kansas Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom (KFAC), which reaches people in every Kansas county. Through such programming efforts as hands-on assembly programs for youth and "Be Ag-Wise" professional development trainings for teachers and classroom volunteers, KFAC strives to connect classrooms to Kansas agriculture.

"KFAC, would be honored to be your non-profit of choice," said Cathy Musick, executive director of the foundation. "The award dollars would apply directly to your county in the form of educational resources available to elementary teachers and their students. We look forward to a productive partnership that plants seeds of understanding about agriculture in yOur community."

Farmers, age 21 and over, who are actively engaged in farming a minimum of 250 acres of corn, soybeans and/or cotton, or 40 acres of open field vegetables, or at least 10 acres of tomatoes, peppers and/or cucumbers grown in protected culture, are eligible. The application period runs May 1 through July 31,2010. The program is open to all qualifying farmers, and no purchase is necessary in order to enter or win. In Kansas, one winner will be drawn from each of the state's 67 participating counties. Monsanto Fund will announce winning farmers and recipient organizations in August 2010.

Farmers may apply online at www.growcommunities.com or call 1-877-267-3332 to obtain an application. In supporting KFAC for an award, farmers can provide agriculture literacy information to youth, teachers and classroom volunteers in their counties.

The new project is part of a broad commitment by Monsanto Fund to invest in farm communities, in order to highlight the important contributions farmers make every day to our society. To obtain a copy of the official rules for this,program and for a listing of eligible Kansas counties, visit www.growcommunities.com or send a written request to Jane Winburn, 914 Spruce St., St. Louis, MO 63102.

The. Kansas Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom is a 501(c)(3) organization. For more information about KFAC, its curriculum materials, its programming resources or to become a member, visit KFAC on the web at www.ksagclassroom.org or call toll-free 1 -866-759-8031.



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© 2011 The Prairie Post White City, Kansas. All Rights Reserved. This content, including derivations, may not be stored or distributed in any manner, disseminated, published, broadcast, rewritten or reproduced without express, written consent from DAS.

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