Smithfield Foods has donated $150,000 in annual grant funding to support local chapters and members of the National FFA Organization. 

"FFA provides students with valuable learning opportunities and resources to succeed in their communities,” said Steve Evans, vice president of community development for Smithfield Foods. “We’re proud to partner with FFA so that future leaders have the experiences and skills necessary to help create a brighter future.”

The first round of grants totaling $75,000 was awarded to 21 local FFA chapters in Illinois, Iowa, Missouri and North Carolina, with the next round to be distributed in October 2024.

As a corporate partner of the National FFA Organization, Smithfield has committed to providing annual funding for Smithfield’s chapter grants program. The chapter grants program was launched in spring 2024 and offers FFA members the opportunity to experience and take part in activities in which they otherwise would not be able to. 

“National FFA is grateful for Smithfield’s partnership and commitment to impacting local chapters and members,” said Molly Ball, president of the National FFA Foundation and chief marketing officer of the National FFA Organization. “The $150,000 in grant funding that Smithfield is providing to local FFA chapters across the country will expand access to educational opportunities and provide the resources needed for them to thrive.”

Grant recipients will use the funds toward chapter activities, operational needs and community service projects that support unique and innovative ideas aligning with Smithfield’s focus areas of hunger relief, education and community vitality.

The second round of grant applications will open on Aug. 15, 2024, and the awards will be announced in October 2024.

Smithfield is committed to developing the next generation of leaders through donations to schools and education programs and providing scholarship assistance for 1,500 students globally by 2025. In 2023, the company funded more than $2.5 million in education programs and awarded scholarships of more than $740,000 to 13 schools in seven states for the 2023–2024 school year.

Source: Smithfield Foods Inc.