By Julie Tomascik
Editor
A Texas A&M University student with a passion for agriculture received Texas Farm Bureau’s (TFB) most prestigious scholarship.
Clayton Elbel of Comal County is this year’s recipient of the S.M. True Jr. Agricultural Scholar Award. The $20,000 scholarship is presented annually to a deserving student in honor of former TFB President S.M. True Jr.
“President True lived a life of inspiration and service—serving his family, Farm Bureau and agriculture,” TFB President Russell Boening said. “Like former President True, Clayton shares a passion for servant leadership, learning and agriculture. We’re proud to honor him with this award.”
Elbel is a junior on a combined degree program through the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences and The Bush School of Government and Public Service. He is pursuing a bachelor’s degree in agricultural economics and is also working toward his master’s degree in public administration.
He grew up on his family’s farm and ranch in Spring Branch.
Throughout his high school and collegiate career, Elbel has dedicated his time to serving agriculture in leadership roles, including a one-year term as Texas FFA state vice president.
He is also a TAMU College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Council representative, a member of the university’s Horse Judging team and helps lead the FarmLink Project.
FarmLink is a national organization that helps place surplus foods from farmers, distributors and retailers with community food banks to help reduce food waste and increase community access to fresh foods.
Elbel is the Hunger and Outreach team leader for FarmLink. He and his team of 15 volunteers moved about 19 million pounds of food over the last year-and-a-half.
“My life’s purpose is rooted in integrity and working in our food and fiber system,” Elbel said. “Food banks have a lot of canned goods or dry goods, but not a lot of fresh produce or protein. FarmLink helps provide people with access to fresh foods and vegetables at food banks, giving them a sense of dignity through food.”
Elbel also won the 2021 TFB Collegiate Discussion Meet and represented Texas in the national contest.
He will be a political and economic affairs intern this summer for the U.S. Department of State in Rome.
After completing his master’s degree, Elbel plans to attend law school and focus on agricultural policy, specifically administrative law.
“One of the things I’ve realized through my professional experiences is that a lot of the policy implemented at the state and federal level goes through administrative law,” he said. “That’s why I want to focus my career in that area. I want to explore the intersection of agriculture and public policy and be a voice for rural producers and growers like my parents.”
Elbel’s various leadership, professional development and agricultural experiences have helped him grow into the individual he is today.
“My academic performance, leadership and commitment to excellence will help me serve as an influential voice for agriculture, fulfilling the Farm Bureau’s mission,” he said. “To receive this scholarship named after someone with such a large impact on Farm Bureau is an honor. Farm Bureau expanded under Mr. True’s leadership, and that reflects someone who had a mindset of service. I want to leave a legacy like that.”
Other finalists for the award were Candace Lundrum of Bexar County; Natalie McDaniel of Dallam-Hartley County; Kristen Massingill of Hamilton County; and Sydney Orsborn of Van Zandt County.
The TFB board of directors established the True scholar award in 2014.
To be eligible for the scholarship, a student must have at least 60 hours of college credit and be enrolled in a four-year college or university.
To receive the full amount, the recipient must continue to major in agriculture and maintain a satisfactory grade point average.
View the list of all the 2022 scholarship winners at texasfarmbureau.org/scholarships.