The Iowa Farm Bureau Federation (IFBF) has launched a new statewide young farmer award to showcase innovation in farm operations and celebrate young farmer entrepreneurs.

The Grow Your Future award is designed to highlight the innovative spirit of young people in Iowa agriculture, said Amanda Van Steenwyk, IFBF farm business development manager. “We want to celebrate young farmer entrepreneurs throughout Iowa by bringing them together to compete in a pitch-off format for statewide recognition and cash prizes,” she said.

The Grow Your Future contest will be open to Iowa Farm Bureau members between the ages of 18 and 35. The eligible applicants can include sales of food and ag products, niche ag production, agritourism or ag services.

Applications due Sept. 1

Applications for this year’s Grow Your Future award will be due at the end of the day Sept. 1, 2019, and must be completed through the Dream Big Grow Here website at http://www.dreambiggrowhere.com/.

Applicants will be asked to provide some general information about their business and themselves and to submit a brief (three- to five-minute) video about themselves and their business. The video will also highlight the applicant’s goals and how the prize funds would be used to grow the venture, as well as the positive impact the business has on the community.

A panel of qualified judges will review the applications and rank up to 10 finalists. An online voting period will be held Dec. 3-13. The panel of judges will use the public voting to help determine the top six finalists by the end of the year.

The pitch-off for the final six finalists will be held during the 2020 IFBF Young Farmer Conference Jan. 31-Feb. 1, where a winner will be selected. The first-place winner of the Grow Your Future award will earn $7,500, the second-place winner will earn $5,000, and third place will earn $2,500.

For more information on the Grow Your Future award, visit https://www.iowafarmbureau.com/Farmer-Resources/Farm-Bureau-Leaders/Grow-Your-Future-Award/.