New York Farm Bureau Announces 2024 Ag Youth Scholarship Winners

Two New York high school seniors have received the distinct honor of being named statewide recipients of the 2024 New York Farm Bureau Agricultural Youth Scholarship.

The students must have a family Farm Bureau membership or a student Farm Bureau membership to qualify. A panel of judges selected the winners based on their essay submissions, as well as their applications, which includes their community and agricultural engagement. District winners then competed for the two state scholarships.

The first-place state winner is Lilly Mills from Canastota, NY. She received a $3,000 scholarship from New York Farm Bureau along with $250 for being the District 5 winner. She is a member of the Madison County Farm Bureau and is a senior at Laurel Springs Academy. She plans to attend Cornell University to major in animal science with a goal of becoming an animal nutritionist.

Lilly has experience caring for Holstein calves at her maternal grandparents’ dairy farm and also raising Suffolk sheep on her paternal grandparents’ livestock farm. She was an intern at Northeast Agri-Solutions Force where she has learned how to effectively communicate with dairy and beef producers about products that enhance animal health. She is an active member of the New York State Junior Holstein Association, Madison County Junior Holstein Association, United Junior Suffolk Sheep Association, and her local 4-H club. As the 2024 Madison County Dairy Advocate, she has organized many activities that share with the public the positive impact of dairy farming on the environment, animal welfare and the importance of dairy products for human health. Lilly is active in school activities such as the National Honor Society and is an accomplished figure skater and the junior coach for the Cortland Figure Skating Club.

The second-place state winner is Cameron Stanton from Orient, NY. She received a $2,000 scholarship from New York Farm Bureau along with $250 for being the District 11 winner. She is a member of Long Island Farm Bureau and a senior at Greenport High School. Cameron plans to attend Tufts University to major in applied environmental studies and food systems with a goal of using this knowledge to not only secure the future of her family’s farm, but also protect the world’s food sources for the future.

Cameron’s family’s farm, Latham Farms, was established in 1809 and currently produces fruits and vegetables. She works at the farmstand where she enjoys interacting with customers and sharing her knowledge on the products that they sell. Also, she is very involved in the growing and harvesting of the farm’s flowers, including arranging the bouquets for sale. Cameron is active at her local food pantry, and she also started an after-school club called the Green Team which promotes reducing the use of single-use plastics at school and encouraging the use of reusable containers. She has many accomplishments on the Varsity Track and Field team, was captain of the Varsity Soccer team, president of the Acapella Club, and editor of her high school newspaper.

Each district winner receives a $250 scholarship. The 2024 district winners are:

District 1: Kelly Niefergold is from Lawtons, NY, and is a member of Cattaraugus County Farm Bureau. She plans to attend SUNY Morrisville and pursue a Bachelor of Technology degree in dairy management with the goal of bringing that knowledge back to her family’s dairy farm.

District 2: Harley Wolfanger is from Silver Springs, NY, and a member of Wyoming County Farm Bureau. She plans to attend Cornell University and major in agricultural science with the goal of becoming a veterinarian.

District 3: Blanche Wolf is from Lyons, NY, and is a member of Wayne County Farm Bureau. She plans to attend SUNY Morrisville or SUNY Cobleskill to study agricultural business and finance, with the goal of having a career related to agriculture.

 District 4: Lauren Ross is from Woodhull, NY, and is a member of Steuben County Farm Bureau. She plans to attend Delaware Valley University and major in dairy science with the goal of having a career in the dairy industry.

District 6: Kirsten Widrick is from Chaumont, NY, and is a member of Jefferson County Farm Bureau. She plans to attend Cornell University or SUNY Cobleskill to study dairy communications with the goal of having a career in dairy industry relations.

District 7: Keller LaClair is from Ellenburg Center, NY, and is a member of Clinton County Farm Bureau. He plans to attend SUNY Cobleskill to study plant science, then Cornell University for a Master's in Agronomy with the goal of starting a farm.

District 8: Caroline Kelly is from Greenwich, NY, and is a member of Washington County Farm Bureau. She plans to attend the University of Rochester to study cell and developmental biology with the goal of becoming a large animal veterinarian and starting her own veterinary clinic.

District 9: Kealy Schilde is from Cobleskill, NY, and is a member of Schoharie County Farm Bureau. She plans to attend Cornell University and study food science with the goal of having a career in the food industry.

District 10: Alyssa Hoag is from Hopewell Junction, NY, and is a member of Dutchess County Farm Bureau. She plans to attend the University of Massachusetts Amherst to study sustainable food and farming with the goal of having a career related to agriculture.

“Congratulations to the students who received scholarships this year for their hard work and accomplishments. New York Farm Bureau is proud to support the next generation of farmers and agriculture professionals, and we are fortunate to have many talented young people in the state who are eager to work in agriculture, either on or off the farm, to create a stronger community and food system for all,” said Bill Zalakar, New York Farm Bureau Promotion and Education Chair.