EL CENTRO — The Imperial County Farm Bureau (ICFB) on May 2 will hold its 72nd Annual Scholarship Barbecue to raise money for dozens of local students, from incoming freshmen to seniors pursuing degrees in agriculture-related fields. The event, which raises thousands of dollars every year, will take place at the Imperial Valley Food Bank.
Applications closed on April 4; the funds are also raised through those who have donated toward the bureau’s Jack & Pauline McConnell Memorial, Al Kalin Memorial Scholarship, Matt LaBrucherie Memorial, Raul Rodriguez Memorial, and Jack Strobel Memorial Scholarships.
“These are the people who make these scholarships possible,” ICFB’s website reads.
Last year, the Farm Bureau allocated $44,200 in scholarships to 33 students compared to $47,400 in scholarships to 44 students in 2023. Over the last near-decade, the ICFB has awarded well over $300,000 to students across the Imperial Valley.
The ICFB sees assisting students with furthering their education as a major investment in the future of the community and is optimistic that many of them will return to the Imperial Valley to become assets of the local agriculture industry.
“Our scholarship and outreach programs are designed not only to assist with education but also to encourage the next generation of agriculturalists to stay connected to their roots in the Imperial Valley,” the bureau said in a statement to the Imperial Valley Press.
The ICFB also said there have been several cases where students have returned to the valley to make a meaningful impact.
“Some have come back as agricultural professionals, educators, business owners, pest control applicators, and even advocates,” the bureau said. “Others have returned to begin their own farming operations or continue their generational, family-owned farms. Their return strengthens the local industry and demonstrates the long-term impact of the Farm Bureau’s support.”
2024’s 33 recipients included:
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