Published 6:00 pm Wednesday, October 8, 2025
By Staff Reports
John Braxton Rhodes, an Escambia County native and graduate of W.S. Neal High School, was among 83 college students from 61 Alabama counties receiving scholarships from the Alabama Farmers Agriculture Foundation (AFAF) Sept. 29 in Auburn.
The annual scholarship banquet at Lazenby Farms honored recipients from Auburn University (AU). The partnership between the AFAF and county Farmers Federations awarded over $150,000 to undergraduates pursuing degrees in agriculture, forestry and related fields.
Rhodes received a $2,000 scholarship to help with his continuing education at Auburn University.
Chris Carroll chairs the AFAF Scholarship Committee. Also the Federation Southeast Area vice president, Carroll expressed his appreciation for the recipients.
“This organization puts effort into serving the future of agriculture,” said Carroll, the Dale County Farmers Federation president. “I want to say ‘thank you’ to the recipients for pursuing a degree in agriculture. Agriculture is facing some tough times, but through tough times, innovation and efficiency are born. Food security is national security. A nation that cannot feed itself cannot defend itself. With that, I truly thank each student for what they do.”
For those hoping to gain financial assistance for higher education, 2026-2027 scholarship applications open Nov. 1 at AlfaFarmers.org/scholarships. The deadline to apply is Feb. 1, 2026.
