The Niman Ranch Next Generation Foundation, the philanthropic arm of sustainable and humane meat pioneer Niman Ranch, last week awarded scholarships to 48 young people from seven states totaling more than $169,000. Recipients will use the funds to help defray the costs of higher education so they can return to the farm and support rural agriculture communities.
The scholarship recipients were announced during Niman Ranch’s 22nd Annual Hog Farmer Appreciation Award Ceremony. In addition to the scholarship announcements, awards were granted to Niman Ranch hog farmer families recognizing superior meat quality, leadership, ten- and twenty-year partnerships with the company and more. For the first time, Niman Ranch announced a Sustainable Farmer of the Year award to recognize outstanding efforts to protect the environment. The inaugural recipients of this honor are the Nuessmeier Family Farm located in southern Minnesota. The Nuessmeiers, 19-year Niman Ranch partners, raise pigs outdoors, grow organic crops using sustainable practices including crop rotation and buffer strips, and have dedicated pollinator habitat among many other environmentally conscious practices on their diversified farm.