Foundation Awards $31,000 to ND FFA Members to Assist with SAEs

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The North Dakota FFA Foundation has awarded 31 North Dakota students a $1,000 grant to aid in their agricultural business and/or projects.  The Bakk Farm Supervised Agricultural Experience (SAE) Grant is a program that has given hundreds of thousands to N.D. FFA members and students through the course of its existence.  To be eligible for the grant, a student must be an active ND FFA member and have a business or project in the field of agriculture to apply the earnings towards. The applications are received and judged based on whether a member is beginning or expanding their agricultural project or business.  This year fifteen recipients were awarded a beginning grant and sixteen were awarded an expansion grant.

“These grants are really an incredible resource for members and students across the state,” says Napoleon High School Agricultural Educator, Brian Schneider.  “The $1,000 provided to these students allows them to turn their hobby or passion for agriculture into a business and tangible experience.”

Four grant recipients from the Napoleon FFA Chapter (left to right), Ethan Schaffner, Payton Feist, Sydney Horner and Nathan Gross stand in their classroom with their $1,000 checks.  Thirty-one students across N.D. received a $1,000 grant for their agricultural projects and businesses at their organization’s annual Winter Leadership Conference in Bismarck, N.D. January 5th and 6th.

The 31 members who received these funds represent 20 different chapters and towns in N.D.  The grants are made possible from rental income produced by land gifted to the ND FFA Foundation by Fridjov Bakk in 1980.  

“The really neat thing about these grants is reading through the applications we receive,” says Tamra Maddock, Executive Director of the ND FFA Foundation.  “The diversity in projects and businesses is incredible. There are student projects ranging from running community gardens, experimenting with aquaculture, to operating their own production farms.”  

The full list of grant recipients:

Regan Jones, Fessenden-Bowdon;

Chance Manhart, Golden Valley County FFA;

Carson Enger, Stanley;

Ethan Schaffner, Napoleon;

Payton Feist, Napoleon;

Madison Myers, Garrison;

Wyatt Kersten, Max;

Gabriel Lakoduk, Velva;

Benjamin Lindbo, South Prairie FFA Chapter;

Andrea Arnold, Maddock;

Hailey Maddock, Maddock;

Brock Heiser, Velva;

Rhea Laib, Turtle Lake-Mercer;

Emily Fannik, Max;

Blake Haakenson, Rugby;

Paige Gefroh, Medina;

Christy Finck, Grant County;

Avery Roth, Grant County;

Nathan Gross, Napoleon;

Sydney Horner, Napoleon;

Jayce Rivinius, Gackle-Streeter;

Grant Schneider, Ashley;

Bradyn Lachenmeier, Kidder County;

Aidan McMahon, Granville;

Alison Betz, Garrison;

Calli Hauck, Oakes-Sargent Central;

Alexa Ketterling, Wishek;

Colt Kersten, Max;

Kelli Gropper, Wishek;

Nathan Unruh, Carrington; and

Emma Mahle, Rugby.