California Farm Bureau Scholarship

Scholarship Sponsored by California Farm Bureau Federation

Overview
The California Farm Bureau Scholarship Foundation supports students who plan careers in agriculture. Awards are made each year based on academic achievement, career goals, leadership, extracurricular involvement, determination, and a clear commitment to studying agriculture.

Scholarships offered in 2026
- Rustici Livestock and Rangeland Scholarship
- Renewable annually (you must resubmit a completed application each year).
- Intended for students entering or attending a two- or four-year college or university.
- Ideal applicants intend to work with domestic livestock (horses excluded), pursue large-animal veterinary medicine, or focus on rangeland management — especially cattle and sheep ranching using good rangeland practices.
- Minimum academic standing: at least a C average.
- Carolyn S. Richardson Memorial Scholarship
- Honors the late CAFB environmental advocate Carolyn Richardson.
- Limited to outstanding applicants planning to study agricultural resource issues or agricultural law.
- Only one Richardson scholarship will be awarded in 2026.

Note: These two are the only California Farm Bureau scholarships being offered in 2026.

Who is NOT eligible
- Students who will have graduated college before Fall 2026.
- Students enrolled in graduate school in Fall 2026.

Required documents (have these ready before you start — the application cannot be saved and finished later)
- Two letters of recommendation, signed, on official letterhead, and dated within the past three months.
- Most current high school and/or college transcript(s).
- Essay (personal and academic): describe the experiences that led you to pursue university study, explain your choice of major, and outline your plans for the future.
- A recent, high-resolution headshot.

Other notes
- If you are a Lassen County resident interested in the Curt and Joan Moran Scholarship, apply through the Lassen County Farm Bureau website (this scholarship is administered locally).
- Double-check each recommendation letter’s date and signature and make sure your essay directly ties your experiences to your career goals in agriculture — that connection matters to reviewers.

If you’d like, I can help you:
- Draft or edit your essay so it’s focused and persuasive.
- Choose which experiences to highlight.
- Review your letters of recommendation checklist to make sure they meet the requirements.