This year, the Niman Ranch Next Generation Foundation, the philanthropic arm of sustainable and humane meat leader Niman Ranch, awarded over $170,000 in scholarships and grants to 39 young farmers and future rural leaders from nine states. With this most recent round of giving, the Foundation has distributed over one million dollars through 363 scholarships and grants since 2006 when the program was started. Recipients use these funds to defray the cost of higher education or invest in getting started on the farm, helping more young farmers stay on the land and support their rural communities. The scholarship and grant awards are made possible through the generous support of Niman Ranch partners from across the country.
The scholarship and grant recipients were announced during Niman Ranch’s 23rd annual Hog Farmer Appreciation Dinner. 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. Additionally, this year for the first time, the Next Generation Foundation awarded two grants for young farmers to invest in their operations. Securing initial financing as a young farmer is one of the most challenging and critical aspects of getting started—this new grant eases this transition.