Our Engagement

Opening Doors for Future Farmers and Agricultural Leaders

A group of people standing in front of a tractor.

The agriculture industry is built upon a long legacy of hard work, innovation, and resilience that has provided food and supplies for Americans for generations. Now, it’s time to defend that legacy and invest in future agriculture leaders who will carry the torch forward.

Bayer supports youth in rural and urban communities with the resources, experience, and education they need to pursue careers in agriculture. We’re also proud to work with time-honored agriculture organizations like 4-H and the National FFA Organization and participate in ag forums and grants to open new doors for youth in agriculture.

Together we are creating opportunities for future leaders in agriculture.

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And the impact of these programs is clear. We’ve seen ag youth go on to find careers as data scientists, engineers, agronomists and more. With the right resources and connections, students have shown that ag’s future will be a bright one.

Partnering with FFA to Support Ag Youth

For generations, American agriculture leaders have worked tirelessly to support their communities and environment. Now, it’s up to the ag community to equip youth to carry this tradition forward. Bayer and FFA are excited to participate in this legacy by providing grants, educational programs and real-world experiences to youth in agriculture.

Bayer has committed over $20 million to FFA and agriculture education since 1954, with a keen focus on supporting agriculture in meaningful ways that create excitement for farming’s future and open opportunities for youth to lead the way.

Core elements of the decades-long partnership include:

Career & Leadership Development Events

Bayer reaches more than 500 youth each year through state-level events designed to develop college and career readiness skills in the areas of Ag Sales, Prepared Public Speaking, Agronomy, Ag Communications, Marketing and Farm Business Management.

Ag Literacy & Advocacy Platform

Bayer engages with you through a series of workshops and information sessions aimed at improving ag literacy.

National FFA Convention

Each year, Bayer sponsors the national convention, a premier leadership development event that brings together members from across the country for professional development and networking opportunities.

Supervised Agricultural Experience Grants

Agriculture cannot be boiled down to a set of numbers or facts. It’s a deep connection with earth, science, and people that requires hands-on application. The Bayer-sponsored Supervised Agricultural Experience (SAE) grant program helps future farmers bring their learnings into the real world by funding real-world agribusiness and research ideas.

Unsurprisingly, participants continue to deliver. From pumpkin crop yields to honey bee colonization, SAE grant winners forecast a bright future for future agriculture leaders.

SAE Grant Winner: Tyler Fenner, Sweet Springs FFA, Missouri

Project: Tyler raised 10+ acres of soybeans in 2021.

SAE Grant Winner: Tristan Ellerbruch, Stockbridge Valley FFA, New York

Project: Tristan grew his apiary to 5-10 hives so he could produce honey and get into waxworks.

Ashton Brusveen, Randolf Cambria-Friesland FFA, Wisconsin

Project: Ashton expanded 14 acres of winter rye and expand his beehives with four additional hives.

SAE Grant Winner: Weston Blake, Benjamin Russell FFA, Alabama

Project: Weston plans to expand his garden into a greenouse so he can sustain plant growth for greater lengths throughout the year.

We know FFA is creating tomorrow’s leaders who will be in our shoes one day, and we want to do everything we can to set them up for successful futures.

Erik Curry

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Regional Account Manager, Bayer; President, Bayer FFA Alumni & Supporters Chapter

Grow Ag Leaders Scholarship

Grow Ag Leaders scholarship program, sponsored by Bayer Fund, engages future generations in agriculture by raising awareness of the diverse career opportunities in the industry and by providing $1,500 scholarships that enable students to further their education. Get more information and apply for this program below.

View Program Details

Partnering with 4-H to Support STEM Education

Nurturing Youth Agri-Science Talent

Head, Heart, Hands, and Health. These founding principles have guided Bayer’s partnership with 4-H for the past 5 years as we’ve worked together to nurture youth talent in science and agriculture.

With innovation at an all-time high, sustainability challenges to face, and a world to feed, the farming community’s responsibility continues to grow. Bayer’s partnership with 4-H equips future generations to support farming for generations through Science Matters, a program that includes ag and STEM education pathways, community building for youth in agriculture, and hands-on opportunities to learn and innovate.

Science Matters: Curriculum + Community

	Ag & STEM student curriculum To date, Science Matters has reached more than 1 million youth, across the country through the direct distribution of engaging, hands-on curriculum bundles focused on a variety of activities including STEM, gardening, water conservation and food safety. With Bayer’s support of 4-H National Youth Science Day in 2019, more than 300,000 youth received access to the Game Changers computer science (CS) curriculum where they used CS to create games and solve problems.
	National 4-H Agri-Science Summit Since 2018, Bayer’s support for the Agri-Science Summit has provided more than 1,000 youth and adults from across the country the opportunity to take a deeper look at modern agriculture. Sixty percent of these delegates attended the Summit on Bayer-sponsored scholarships. While at the Summit, teams of delegates create community action plans to address a challenge in their community with agriculture and science-based solutions. When they return home, they continue to work with their team to put the plan in action.
	Agriculture Innovator’s Experience (AIE) AIE topics such as pollinators and water quality drive youth awareness of, and interest in, agriculture innovation and agriculture careers. After participating in the AIE, 58% of youth said that they have a better understanding of how science and engineering help solve real life problems.
	4-H STEM Challenge Each year, 4‑H challenges young people across the country to solve issues in the community and around the world through STEM learning and exploration through 4‑H National Youth Science Day. This annual event introduces youth to various STEM concepts with easy and fun topics relatable to real-world issues. As the national partner of the program, Bayer supports in the development of the challenge, which aims to inspire kids everywhere to take an interest in STEM topics through hands-on learning.

The Undeniable Impact: Youth in Action

Bayer’s sponsorship of the annual 4-H Youth in Action award has provided scholarships and highlighted 4 outstanding youth who have used skills learned in 4-H to positively impact others through agriculture, civic engagement, healthy living, and STEM. Here are the stories of 2022’s Youth in Action winners.

Madelyn Zimmerman | 2021

In 4-H, Madelyn combined her love for cattle and desire to give back to her community by reaching out to others who might feel different too, to teach them about agriculture. As a participant in POSS-abilities, a 4-H program for youth with disabilities, Madelyn and fellow youth mentors supported more than a dozen 4-H’ers with disabilities in their journey to connect with agriculture and learn how to care for and show livestock safely.

Tashina Red Hawk | 2022

Tashina recognized at an early age that while caring for the animal nation was important to her tribe, many people living on the reservation did not have the financial means to care for their pets. Armed with the passion for Vet Science, Tashina began volunteering at the Rosebud Sioux Tribe Animal Clinic, serving in numerous positions across the organization.

Matias Habib | 2023

When the invasive species Japanese Beetle devastated his family’s orchard, Matias Habib spent his summer applying his 4-H Entomology knowledge to study natural methods to combat the beetle. He presented his research at the Illinois State 4-H Fair and plans to pursue a career to develop innovative solutions that protect the environment.

Learn More About Our Engagement