Farmers and ranchers are invited to submit nominations for the Farm Bureau Farm Dog of the Year contest, brought to you by Nestlé Purina PetCare Company. The contest celebrates farm dogs who work alongside their people to bring nutritious food to our tables and our pets’ bowls.

The grand prize winner—Farm Bureau Farm Dog of the Year—will win a year’s worth of Purina dry dog food and $5,000 in prize money for the farmer and his or her spouse/family to offset travel costs to attend the American Farm Bureau Federation Annual Convention in New Orleans Jan. 11-16.

The winner will be recognized at the Farm Dog of the Year award ceremony at the convention. Up to four runners-up will win $1,000 each in prize money.

“Farm dogs play an important role on our farms and ranches, doing their part every day to help farm families,” American Farm Bureau Federation President Zippy Duvall said. “They can lighten the workload and enrich our lives by providing faithful and playful companionship. We’re excited for this special opportunity to honor these loyal members of our farm families.”

Desired attributes in the Farm Dog of the Year include helpfulness to the farmer and his/her family, playfulness and obedience.

Farm dog owners must be Farm Bureau members to enter their dogs in the competition. Applicants who are not Farm Bureau members can visit fb.org/join to learn about becoming a member.

Eligibility guidelines and submission requirements are available online at http://fb.org/2019farmdog.

Farm Dog of the Year nominations, which include written responses to questions, still photos and a video clip, must be received by Oct. 12 for consideration.