Mississippi Farm Bureau Foundation for Agriculture Grants

Mississippi Farm Bureau Foundation for Agriculture Grants is sponsored by Mississippi Farm Bureau Foundation for Agriculture. Educates and invests in future farmers and ranchers to advance agriculture, offering grants to support agricultural initiatives.

Mississippi Farm Bureau Foundation for Agriculture Advocates and Advances the Industry - Mississippi Farm Country Farmers Feeding the Hungry Cookoff; Photo credit: MFBF Formed in 2024, the Mississippi Farm Bureau Foundation for Agriculture seeks to advance agriculture by extending its reach beyond farms and their communities to serve Mississippians through more knowledge, more support, and more food.

This service is achieved through the four pillars of ag literacy , ag promotion, scholarships , and combating hunger. Some initiatives include revamping existing programs such as Farm Families of Mississippi , while others are new projects such as Farmers Feeding the Hungry .

The Mississippi Farm Bureau Foundation for Agriculture aims to promote the industry and reduce food insecurity through education and service; Photo credit: MFBF Launched by Mississippi Farm Bureau Federation (MFBF) and other ag industry stakeholders in 2010, the Farm Families of Mississippi program promotes the importance of agriculture by telling the stories of the state’s producers who feed and clothe residents of the state, the nation, and the world.

“We’re trying to grow this program,” says Jamie Swafford, Foundation coordinator. Don’t Miss the MFBF Foundation Night Mississippi Farm Bureau Foundation will host an inaugural Foundation Night dinner on Friday, Dec. 6, in conjunction with MFBF’s Annual Convention.

When people purchase the specialty license plate for Farm Families of Mississippi, the proceeds directly benefit the Farm Families program, which uses multiple forms of advertising to educate those who are not actively involved in farming. “A lot of people don’t know the vehicle tag program exists,” Swafford says. “We’re trying to change that.

” Community service is a key component of Mississippi Farm Bureau Foundation for Agriculture’s efforts. Photo credit: MFBF Mississippi is one of the most food-insecure states in the nation. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, more than 16% of Mississippi households are considered food insecure.

Because of this need, MFBF President Mike McCormick felt a critical Foundation initiative should be fighting hunger and food insecurity in the state. To that goal, the inaugural Farmers Feeding the Hungry Cookoff in 2025 brought Farm Bureau agents, regional managers, staffers, and professional grill teams together in friendly competition to raise money for a good cause.

“Many of our county Farm Bureau agents are experienced, talented cooks and grillers, and the cookoff was just a lot of fun with so much good food and fellowship,” Swafford says. Farmers Feeding the Hungry Cookoff; Photo credit: MFBF Mississippi Farm Bureau Foundation for Agriculture Fills the Gaps Sponsorships, entry fees, and proceeds from a golf tournament held the day after the cookoff raised funds.

In total, Swafford says the Foundation donated $55,000 to the Mississippi Food Network and to local food banks in 2025. The entire event was so successful that it is now an annual occurrence, and the second Farmers Feeding the Hungry Cookoff and Golf Tournament happened in May 2026.

Farmers Feeding the Hungry Cookoff and Golf Tournament; Photo credit: MFBF County Farm Bureau agents and staffers also organize food drives and volunteer at local food pantries. “In one example, Hinds County Farm Bureau members delivered timely support so a local food pantry could continue to operate on schedule,” Swafford says. “Farm Bureau folks have spent countless hours helping in food pantries to help get food to those who need it.

” How MS Farmers Are Helping Others Succeed Phelps Family Farm and others help limited-resource farmers succeed. She says partnering with Mississippi Food Network is ideal, as the statewide nonprofit distributes more than 1. 5 million pounds of food and feeds more than 150,000 people each month.

MFBF has a long history in developing and supporting the next generation of ag leaders through scholarships and fellowship programs. According to Swafford, the Foundation has committed more than $70,000 in new funding to county scholarships. Plus, new scholarships are being created, such as the Doug M.

Ervin Scholarship, honoring the late, longtime MFBF staffer. Mississippi Farm Bureau Foundation for Agriculture sponsors scholarships to support the future generation of agricultural leaders; Photo credit: MFBF Kirby Nazary, a member of the Leake County Farm Bureau for more than 20 years, says his county Farm Bureau wanted to honor Dot and Jimmie Arthur, who each served as county president and passed away in 2025.

Jimmie served as county president for more than 38 years, as well as on the MFBF board, and received the MFBF Distinguished Service Award. “They were the foundation of Leake County Farm Bureau,” Nazary says. “We wanted to honor them in some way with a scholarship that would also promote agriculture.

” Mississippi Farm Bureau Scholarships Support Future Ag Leaders Mississippi Farm Bureau scholarships help alleviate financial stress for future agricultural leaders each year. The agriculture industry must take the lead in encouraging young people to see a future in it. “We’ve got to keep people interested in farming and continue to invest in the industry’s future through education,” Nazary says.

Inspiring a New Generation Ag literacy includes understanding agriculture’s vital role in producing food and fiber. Passing ag literacy on is crucial for all Mississippians to make informed decisions about their food systems and in supporting farmers, Swafford says. Encouraging interest and literacy in agriculture begins early in Mississippi schools, thanks to MFBF’s sponsorship of Ag in the Classroom for many years.

Agriculture in the Classroom; Photo credit: MFBF “One of our big initiatives this year at the Foundation is to produce virtual reality videos of Mississippi farms, where kids can visit farms without leaving the classroom,” Swafford says. “We want kids to see Mississippians farming and see what we grow here.

” The Foundation has also committed funds to purchase an Ag in the Classroom Book of the Year for every public school library in the state. The Foundation strives to cultivate a brighter future for the ag community in the state’s fields and beyond. To learn more, visit msfb.

org/foundation-for-agriculture . Kylie Melons Is Homegrown Happiness Smith County Member Named MFBF Collegiate Discussion Meet Winner Coming Back from the 2023 Drought How Ag Pilots Keep Mississippi Growing Leave a Reply Cancel reply Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked * Mississippi Farm Country is a magazine for Mississippi Farm Bureau Members.

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