Michigan Youth Livestock Scholarship Fund 

Total Dollars Awarded to Applicants: 
$776,055 and over 325 Scholarships Awarded 

LANSING, Mich. - Since 2000, the Michigan Youth Livestock Scholarship Fund (MYLSF) has awarded $776,055 in scholarships and educational awards to outstanding youth who have exhibited at the premier livestock events in Michigan. In 2024, a select number of applicants may be offered an opportunity to be interviewed, at the discretion of the MYLSF, before the Sale-Abration event for larger scholarship awards up to $5,000.

To be eligible for either the MYLSF general scholarship or the statewide scholarship, the applicant must be a resident of Michigan and a graduating high school senior or a high school graduate continuing their education at an accredited institution in the year they are applying.

Applications and qualification requirements for the MYLSF and the statewide scholarship can be obtained here. Applications must be submitted electronically no later than 11:59 pm on May 15, 2024.

For the general MYLSF scholarship, the applicant must be a youth exhibitor at the Michigan Livestock Expo or the Michigan Dairy Expo for a minimum of three calendar years before the year of application. For the statewide scholarship, an applicant must be a youth exhibitor at a local, county, or statewide exhibition for a minimum of three years before the year of application.

Specific proceeds from the Michigan Livestock Expo Sale-Abration auction and charitable donations help fund the scholarships. The fund is governed by an 11-member board of volunteers from Michigan's agricultural community.

In 2023, $41,000 in scholarships were awarded as well as another approximately $15,000 deposited into Michigan Education Saving Plans for youth exhibitors who compete in judging and showmanship events at the Michigan Livestock Expo on the Michigan State University campus.

The 2023 MYLSF scholarship winners were:
- $5,000 scholarship: Emma Challender of Corunna

- $3,500 scholarship: Jordyn Chant of DeWitt; Natasha Bickel of North Branch; and Meah Palmatier of Williamston

- $2,500 scholarship: Nastassia Benjamin of Webberville

- $2,000 scholarship: Olivia Birchmeier of Durand; and Emily Mead of Sturgis

- $1,500 scholarship: Madyson Garza of Palms; Caleb Tucker of Hopkins; Dalaney Bates of Sebewaing; Margaret Hartmann of Flint; and Kylee Mumford of Otter Lake

- $1,000 scholarship: Brianna Stockwell of Dowagiac; Jacob Reif of Allen; Carlie Doehring of Mendon, Jena Bradley of Cassopolis; Samantha Armstrong of Gregory; and Alissa Boersen of Zeeland

- $500 scholarship: Kris Kosal of Deckerville; Breanne Reif of Allen; Ryder Greenman of Olivet; and Kate Stewart of Charlotte

- $1,000 statewide scholarship: Cassidy Cashen of Muir; Olivia Black of Eagle; and London Eldridge of Stanton

- $500 statewide scholarship: Tyler Zelinko of St. Charles

 

If you have any questions, please contact Jeff Haarer, Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development s Producer Security Section Manager; or Ernie Birchmeier, Michigan Farm Bureau s Senior Industry Relations Specialist, at 517-679-5335 or ebirchm@michfb.com.