Farm Bureau awards scholarships to local Ag students

ESCONDIDO — This year, the San Diego County Farm Bureau (SDCFB) awarded $17,500 in varying amounts to 16 San Diego County residents who are enrolled in agricultural studies at a two-year or four-year college. The total amount awarded grows every year, thanks to generous donations from Farm Bureau members and participants in the annual scholarship golf tournament.

Three of the scholarship winners are from Fallbrook: Kaleigh Matthews, a junior at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo who wants to be a large animal veterinarian; Kariann Torres, a graduate student at CSU Fresno who is working on a teaching credential in Ag instruction/animal sciences; and Stefanie White, a freshman at Cal Poly SLO who is studying food science/agriculture.

“We were excited this year to have the largest group of students applying since the inception of the Farm Bureau Scholarship Program in 1999,” said SDCFB Scholarship Chair Janet Silva Kister. “With so many great applicants to choose from, it is always difficult to determine who to award the scholarships to. I wish we could help them all with their scholastic needs!”

San Diego County Farm Bureau is a nonprofit trade organization with approximately 5,000 members. It has operated since 1913 with the mission to represent San Diego County agriculture through public relations, education and public policy advocacy in order to promote the economic viability of agriculture balanced with appropriate management of natural resources.