Nominated students will receive an email invitation by Jan. 20 from the Juneberry Education Foundation team to fill out a student application due by Feb. 13, 2026. (File photo).
ANSON COUNTY — Farm Education Non-profit announces 3rd Annual Piedmont Agricultural Scholars program to inspire the next generation of regenerative farmers in North Carolina.
Agriculture is our state’s top industry and is responsible for one in six jobs in North Carolina. Yet, this important industry is under pressure. Every year we lose farmland to development, and we also face generational challenges as the average age of a farmer in our state today is 58 years old.
Aspiring young farmers are enrolling in high school and college programs to pursue their academic education in agriculture. The students are out there, however, access to working farms is often limited to those who come from farming families. Moreover, access to hands-on training in the emerging methods of regenerative farming is extremely limited. Young farmers are hungry to contribute new solutions to the challenges facing the agricultural industry, they just need more opportunities to learn and explore bright futures in farming.
What is the Piedmont Agriculture Scholars program?
The Piedmont Agriculture Scholars Program is a full-day agricultural seminar held on March 13 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. This program is developed by the Juneberry Education Foundation for select student scholars from high schools across North Carolina to participate in hands-on and immersive agricultural training on a regenerative farm.
Student scholars will be introduced to all areas of regenerative farming at Juneberry Ridge, a 750-acre working farm in Norwood, N.C. Students will attend lectures and gain hands-on farm experience related to soil health, water management, wildlife, aquaponics, farm-to-table hospitality, and more. The program provides meals for accepted students.
Nomination Deadline: Open now through Jan. 16, 2026.
Student scholars must receive a nomination from a teacher/educator.
How to Nominate: Submit the Student Scholar Nomination Form on our website https://edu.juneberry.com/ Application Process: Nominated students will receive an email invitation by January 20 from the Juneberry Education Foundation team to fill out a student application due by February 13, 2026.
Our program is looking for bright, upstanding, and enthusiastic high school sophomores, juniors, and seniors that meet the following criteria:
· 3.25 GPA or higher enrolled in a North Carolina High School
· Interest in regenerative agriculture, farming, and/or agribusiness
Why focus on inspiring young farmers?
“If we fail to inspire young farmers today, it’s only a matter of time before we lose our farmland along with high quality local food production right here in North Carolina,” said Suzanne Durkee, President, Juneberry Education Foundation. “So, how can we inspire the next generation? Our answer is to provide the farmers of tomorrow with the best possible education in regenerative farming. We designed the Piedmont Agricultural Scholars Program as a call out to our brightest young minds, to bring them out to our living classroom, to show them how we farm, and invite them to envision a brighter future for food production with us.”