Awards

For Teachers

FFA Advisor of the Year

Nomination forms must be submitted by February 10th to be considered.

Nominate your FFA Advisor to be one of two selected educators for FFA Advisor of the Year. The two winners will be awarded $1,000 to be used by the FFA chapter. The winners of FFA Advisor of the Year will be recognized during the State FFA Annual Convention on Thursday, March 26th  at the 9:00 a.m. session. A plaque and check will be presented during this time.

Applications for the 2026 FFA Advisor of the year are closed.

View 2026 Winners
Congratulations to the 2026 Nebraska Farm Bureau Foundation FFA Advisors of the Year! Pictured from left are Jessica Evans, Osmond FFA Advisor; Megahn Schafer, Nebraska Farm Bureau Foundation executive director; Jacob Goldfuss, Summerland FFA Advisor.

Nebraska Agriculture in the Classroom Teacher of the Year

Due Date: December 6

The Nebraska Agriculture in the Classroom Teacher of the Year Award recognizes a teacher for their interest and integrated efforts to teach students about the importance of agriculture.

The winner of the award receives:

  • A trip to the National Agriculture in the Classroom Conference to gain new ideas for their classroom.
  • Nebraska Farm Bureau Foundation Book Bundle with twelve agriculture books with corresponding literature guides for their classroom.
  • $250 cash prize for use in their classroom.
View Past Winners

2026 Winner

Gina Wiitanen

National Excellence in Teaching about Agriculture Award

Due Date: January 16

The National Excellence in Teaching About Agriculture Award is sponsored by USDA’s Agriculture in the Classroom Program and the National Agriculture in the Classroom Consortium. This competitive program recognizes a select group of teachers that teach agriculture concepts in their curriculum and meet their State Standards. Each teacher receives an honorarium of $500 and $1,500 for expenses to attend the National Agriculture in the Classroom Conference held at different locations in the United States. Four Nebraska Teachers have received this award.

If you would like to apply contact Nebraska Agriculture in the Classroom state contact Brooke Carpenter brookec@nefb.org.

Dr. Allen G. and Kay L. Blezek Teacher Retention Award

Applications for the Dr. Allen G. and Kay L. Blezek Teacher Retention Award will be accepted July 1- August 1 each year.

Through a generous bequest from Dr. Allen G. Blezek, the Teacher Retention Award is available to support the continuation and growth of vibrant Agricultural Education and FFA programs in Nebraska.

Selected applicants will receive awards of $1,000 to $1,500. Current Nebraska Agricultural Education teachers who are entering their first through fifth year of teaching are encouraged to apply.

A Farm Bureau membership is required to apply. Join or renew at www.nefb.org.

Applicants are no longer required to have outstanding student loans to qualify for this award.

Applications for the 2026 program are now closed. Please check back for information about future application opportunities.

For Students

Keith R. Olsen Agricultural Policy Internship Award

Due Date: November

The Keith R. Olsen Agricultural Policy Internship award provides students at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln’s College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources the opportunity to complete an internship in Washington, D.C.

Students who participate in the Washington, D.C., program will work full-time on Capitol Hill for a member of Nebraska’s Congressional Delegation, a selected committee in the House of Representatives/Senate or at one of a number of agricultural organizations based in Washington, D.C.

Applications for the internship award are due in November

For more information about this award contact Dr. Brad Lubben at blubben2@unl.edu.

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