Farmers can seed community growth through Monsanto Fund

Farmers can seed community growth in their local areas by simply signing up for a $2,500 grant through Monsanto Fund. Forty-three South Dakota counties are included in an innovative program designed to drive development for local projects, selected by South Dakota farmers.

Rural communities now have one more benefit from farmers’ economic impact through Monsanto’s “America’s Farmers Grow Communities Project.” The program invites farmers to enter to win the chance to direct $2,500 to local non-profit organizations that are important to them and their communities.

“This is a tremendous opportunity for farmers to deliver dollars to their local communities and support projects that they believe in,” said Gary Duffy, president of the South Dakota Corn Growers Association (SDCGA). “The SDCGA encourages all eligible farmers to register today to take advantage of this visionary program for their rural areas.”

South Dakota counties eligible for the grant include the following: Aurora, Beadle, Bon Homme, Brookings, Brown, Brule, Campbell, Charles Mix, Clark, Clay, Codington, Davison, Day, Deuel, Douglas, Edmunds, Faulk, Grant, Gregory, Hamlin, Hand, Hanson, Hutchinson, Jerauld, Kingsbury, Lake, Lincoln, Marshall, McCook, McPherson, Miner, Minnehaha, Moody, Potter, Roberts, Sanborn, Spink, Sully, Tripp, Turner, Union, Walworth and Yankton.

The program is aimed at enhancing non-profit community groups such as ag youth organizations like FFA and 4-H, schools, hospitals, fire departments and other civic groups. One winner will be selected in each of the eligible counties and it’s up to the winning farmer to decide where the money goes.

The deadline to apply is July 31, 2010. Farmers 21 years or older and farming a minimum of 250 acres of corn or soybeans are eligible to compete for the $2,500 grant. To apply and see all the rules for eligibility, go to www.growcommunities.com or call 1-877-267-3332.