High school students are encouraged to apply for $1,000 scholarships

MANKATO, Minn. (February 15, 2011) – The AgStar Fund for Rural America, a corporate giving program of AgStar Financial Services, is offering $20,000 in scholarships to help students in rural areas continue their education. High school seniors throughout AgStar’s service area in Minnesota and northwest Wisconsin are encouraged to apply.

Seniors who plan to continue their education and pursue careers in agricultural fields are encouraged to apply for one of the 15 - $1,000 scholarships available. In addition, the fund is awarding five - $1,000 scholarships to high school seniors with an agricultural background and plan to continue their education in any field of study. Applications are accepted now through April 1, 2011.

Students will be awarded scholarships based on their academic record, vocational promise, community service and leadership qualities. Applicants must have a GPA of 3.0 or better. There will be four students chosen from each of AgStar’s 5 regions in Minnesota and Wisconsin. Applicants must be residents of one of the 69 counties within AgStar’s territory:

Minnesota Counties: Aitkin, Anoka, Benton, Blue Earth, Brown, Carlton, Carver, Cass, Chisago, Cook, Cottonwood, Crow Wing, Dakota, Dodge, Faribault, Fillmore, Freeborn, Goodhue, Hennepin, Houston, Itasca, Isanti, Jackson, Kanabec, Lake, LeSueur, McLeod, Martin, Mille Lacs, Morrison, Mower, Murray, Nicollet, Nobles, Olmsted, Pine, Pipestone, Ramsey, Rice, Rock, St. Louis, Scott, Sherburne, Sibley, Stearns, Steele, Todd, Wabasha, Waseca, Washington, Watonwan, Winona and Wright.

Wisconsin Counties: Ashland, Barron, Bayfield, Burnett, Chippewa, Douglas, Dunn, Eau Claire, Iron, Pepin, Pierce, Polk, Rusk, St. Croix, Sawyer and Washburn.

“AgStar believes that education is the key for empowering young people to pursue careers in agriculture and lays the foundation for preserving and enhancing the quality of life in rural America for the future. Through programs like this, and our other grants and scholarships, we’ve made a commitment to further the success of the young people and, ultimately, everyone who lives and works in rural America,” said John Monson, a board member of the AgStar Fund for Rural America.

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In addition to high school scholarships, AgStar also offers several other programs to support education in its local service area, including a scholar’s program for college students studying in an ag-related field, a grant for equipment in high school agriculture classrooms and tuition assistance for young and beginning farmers.

High school scholarships may be applied towards tuition at colleges, universities, technical or vocational schools. Students can get scholarship application forms online at AgStar.com.

About AgStar:
AgStar Financial Services, ACA, headquartered in Mankato, Minn., employs more than 550 full-time team members. The company is part of the national Farm Credit System and has a public mission to serve 69 counties in Minnesota and northwest Wisconsin. The company has expertise in the corn, soybean, swine, dairy and bio-energy industries. AgStar has developed successful programs in loans, leases, crop insurance, tax services, accounting, consulting and rural home mortgages. As a value-added financial services cooperative, AgStar allocates patronage dividends to over 13,000 stockholders. The company is also committed to giving back to rural residents, organizations and communities through AgStar’s Fund for Rural America, a corporate giving program. In 2009, over $681,000 was donated by the AgStar Fund. Visit www.AgStar.comfor more information.