By Julie Tomascik
Editor

Texas Farm Bureau (TFB) continues its longstanding commitment to support and invest in the next generation of agricultural leaders through scholarships.

In 2026, TFB will award over $500,000 in state-level scholarships, and county Farm Bureaus will provide more than $700,000 to students pursuing their academic and agricultural goals.

“Through this scholarship program, Farm Bureau is cultivating the next generation of farmers, ranchers and agricultural advocates who will sustain and strengthen our state’s agricultural legacy,” said McKenna Bush, TFB youth outreach coordinator.

There are four high school scholarship categories available from the state’s largest general farm and ranch organization: Memorial/Honorary and District Scholarships, Young Farmer & Rancher Scholarship, Dick Mitchell Memorial Scholarship. A total of 66 scholarships are awarded at the high school level.

Enrolled college students can apply for four scholarship categories at the state level: S.M. True Jr. Agricultural Scholar Award, Rural Veterinary Scholarship, Mia Balko Student Teaching Scholarship and Young Farmer & Rancher Scholarships for Enrolled College Students. A total of 20 scholarships are awarded at the collegiate level.

Instructions for scholarship applications
All scholarships require the applicant to be part of a TFB member-family to apply, and membership must be maintained for the duration of the scholarship.

The deadline to apply and submit completed 2026 scholarship applications online is 11:59 p.m. on March 2, 2026.

Visit texasfarmbureau.org/scholarships for scholarship details, instructions and a link to the applications.

Email youthactivities@txfb.org or call 254-399-5037 with questions.

Scholarships for High School Seniors
Memorial/Honorary and District Scholarships
In each of the 13 TFB districts, one student will be awarded a $5,000 scholarship.

Three students from each district also will be awarded a $3,000 scholarship.

Young Farmer & Rancher Scholarship
High school seniors pursuing a degree in agriculture are eligible for TFB’s Young Farmer & Rancher Scholarship for High School Students.

Each of TFB’s 13 districts will award one $1,500 scholarship.

Dick Mitchell Scholarship
This $1,000 scholarship is awarded to one high school senior who completed the Thrive Event through TFB’s Student Success Series in August 2025.

College Scholarships
S.M. True Jr. Agricultural Scholar Award
To acknowledge former TFB President S.M. True Jr., a $25,000 scholarship was established for college students enrolled in an undergraduate degree program with at least 60 hours of college credit and declared agriculture as their major.

To be eligible for the scholarship, students must be a Farm Bureau member-family for at least three years at the time of application. Applicants must submit a completed application and two letters of recommendation—one from the county Farm Bureau president and one from the dean or head of the agricultural department of the applicant’s college or university.

Students are encouraged to apply at the end of their sophomore year for TFB’s most prestigious scholarship.

Four finalists will also receive a $5,000 scholarship.

Rural Veterinary Scholarship
The Rural Veterinary Scholarship aims to help more veterinarians pursue careers in rural communities. Four scholarships valued at $20,000 each will be awarded.

Applicants must be a second- or third-year veterinarian student at Texas A&M University or Texas Tech University with a GPA of 2.5 or higher. The applicant must also plan to enter a rural and/or food animal practice in Texas after graduation.

Four finalists will also receive a $2,500 scholarship.

Mia Balko Student Teaching Scholarship
This scholarship was renamed in honor of the late Mia Balko, who was the associate director of youth outreach which oversees the scholarship program for TFB. Prior to joining TFB, Balko was an agricultural science teacher for many years.

Four senior agricultural education students will receive the Fall 2026 Mia Balko Student Teaching Scholarship.

The scholarships, valued at $6,000 each, aim to help college students cover expenses during their semester of off-campus student teaching.

A second application process will open for those student teaching in spring 2027.

Young Farmer & Rancher Enrolled Scholarship
The Young Farmer & Rancher Enrolled Scholarship is for students already in college pursuing undergraduate degrees. Applicants must have completed a minimum of 30 credit hours and a GPA of 2.5 or higher to qualify. Applicants must also intend to pursue a career in agriculture.

Three $2,500 Young Farmer & Rancher Enrolled Scholarships will be awarded.

TSTC Scholarships
TFB makes scholarship funds available annually through Texas State Technical College (TSTC). There are $70,000 in scholarships available to first year and enrolled students attending TSTC.

Seventy $1,000 scholarships are awarded on a first-come, first-served basis through the Texan Success Scholarship.

The link to the TSTC scholarship applications can be found on TFB’s scholarship page at texasfarmbureau.org/scholarships. Students will need to follow up with their enrollment coach after submitting the online form to determine if they received a scholarship.

For more information
For more information about TFB scholarships, visit texasfarmbureau.org/scholarships.

Additional information about youth programs and opportunities through TFB can be found at texasfarmbureau.org/youth.