Farmland is proudly announcing the recipients of its Farmland FFA Heartland Grant Program at the 95th National FFA Convention & Expo in Indianapolis, Indiana. After receiving applications, 20 FFA students across Nebraska, Kansas, Iowa, and Missouri were carefully selected to receive grants valued at $1,000 each to fund agricultural and community projects. The donation is providing a total of $20,000 in financial support to empower students' goals and inspire growth in the agriculture industry.

Representatives from Farmland, Smithfield Foods, and National FFA Organization gather to recognize the recipients of the Farmland FFA Heartland Grant Program, which is providing a total of $20,000 in financial support to fund agricultural and community service projects.

The Farmland FFA Heartland Grant Program was launched this summer as an extension of the high-quality protein brand's second-annual Honoring the Heartland Tour. To demonstrate its continued commitment to partners in the industry, Farmland embarked on year two of its food truck tour to show appreciation to hardworking farming communities with grab-and-go meals, invest in the next generation of agricultural leaders, and support neighborhoods rooted in the Midwest through protein-rich food donations.

During the truck tour, Farmland served over 7,500 community meals to Heartland residents, donated $150,000 to FFA at the national and state-level, and provided more than 245,000 servings of protein to benefit Heartland neighborhoods. Farmland also teamed up with the National Pork Board and Luke Bryan's Farm Tour to supply truckloads of protein to local food banks in Iowa, Nebraska, Indiana, Ohio, Michigan, and Minnesota, bringing the product donation total for this year's tour to an estimated one million servings of protein.

“Over the past months, Farmland witnessed firsthand the extraordinary efforts of invaluable individuals and organizations working in farming and agriculture across the heartland, from local retailers to regional food banks and state fairs,” said Jessica Scarlett, senior associate brand manager for Farmland. “We’re proud to further our commitment to the next generation of agriculture enthusiasts by providing $1,000 grants to 20 students rooted in the Midwest. We’re inspired by the hard work and heart exemplified from this year’s grant recipients and excited to see what comes next.”

“We’re constantly proud of the dedication of our talented FFA members and the enthusiasm they bring each and every day,” said Molly Ball, president for the National FFA Foundation and chief marketing officer for the National FFA Organization. “This generous donation will equip our students with much-needed resources so that they can stay focused on achieving their ambitions and making a valuable impact within the industry. We extend our sincerest gratitude to the team at Farmland for helping make this possible.”

For more information, follow Farmland on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter @FarmlandFoods and visit www.farmlandfoods.com.

Source: Smithfield Foods, Inc.