Tractor Supply Announces Next FFA Future Leaders Class and Launches Major Agriculture Scholarship Fundraiser
Behind every agricultural career is a young person with a vision for the future, and behind many of those young people is a community willing to invest in their ambitions. Tractor Supply Company and the Tractor Supply Company Foundation are continuing that commitment by supporting the next generation of agricultural professionals and skilled tradespeople through the FFA Future Leaders Scholarship program.
Tractor Supply Company, the largest rural lifestyle retailer in the United States, has announced the selection of 146 students as recipients of the 2026 FFA Future Leaders Scholarship. Representing 32 states, this year’s scholarship recipients are preparing for careers across a broad range of industries, including agribusiness, agricultural engineering, veterinary medicine, welding, construction, diesel mechanics and other skilled trades.
The scholarship program was established in 2022 through a partnership between Tractor Supply and the National FFA Organization. Since its launch, more than 500 students have received financial assistance to continue their education in agriculture and skilled trades. More than $4 million has been awarded through the initiative, with support coming in part from Tractor Supply customers who have contributed to the program through fundraising campaigns at checkout.
The initiative reflects Tractor Supply’s broader commitment to strengthening rural communities by helping young people gain the education, training and practical skills needed to build successful careers close to home.
New Fundraising Campaign to Support Future Leaders
As the company celebrates the newest group of scholarship recipients, Tractor Supply is preparing for another fundraising campaign to help support future students.
The 2026 fundraising campaign will take place at Tractor Supply stores and online through TractorSupply.com from September 7 through September 20. Customers will have an opportunity to contribute to the scholarship initiative and help provide educational opportunities for students pursuing careers connected to agriculture and the skilled trades.
The company is also offering limited-edition 2026 National FFA Convention T-shirts in its stores and online. Customers can purchase the shirts to show their support for FFA while contributing to programs that benefit agricultural communities. Proceeds from the shirts will go directly to FFA initiatives, including the Gift of Blue, Living to Serve and Alumni Legacy Grants programs.
Joe Fell, Vice President of Merchandise Operations at Tractor Supply and a member of the FFA Sponsor Board, said the scholarship program demonstrates the impact that communities can have when they invest in young people’s ambitions.
According to Fell, each scholarship recipient has a personal story and a vision for making a difference in the community. He emphasized that Tractor Supply customers play an important role by helping turn those ambitions into educational and career opportunities.
The program’s growing number of graduates also demonstrates its long-term impact. Some of the first Future Leaders scholarship recipients are now completing their education, entering the workforce and beginning to contribute to rural communities themselves.
Scholarships Support Four-Year Programs and Skilled Trades
The FFA Future Leaders Scholarship is designed to support students pursuing different types of educational pathways.
FFA members attending four-year programs and pursuing agriculture-related fields can receive scholarships worth $10,000. Students enrolled in two-year programs or trade schools can receive $5,000 scholarships.
For students and their families, the financial assistance can help reduce the cost of tuition, supplies and other educational expenses. More importantly, the support can give students greater flexibility to concentrate on developing the knowledge and technical skills required for their chosen professions.
One of this year’s recipients is Daphne Bownds, a freshman at Blinn College-Bryan who is studying veterinary technology. Bownds plans to build a career that connects animal care with agriculture.
She said the scholarship will help reduce the financial pressure associated with college while allowing her to continue working toward her agricultural career goals. She also expressed appreciation for the investment being made in her future and in the next generation of agricultural leaders.
Bownds is one of 146 students whose career plans demonstrate the wide range of opportunities available within the modern agricultural economy.
Students Preparing for Diverse Careers
The 2026 Future Leaders scholarship class includes students pursuing careers that extend well beyond traditional farming.
Kailee Macy, from Culver, Oregon, grew up on her family’s specialty seed crop farm. Now a junior at Oklahoma State University, she is studying agribusiness and agricultural communications. Macy hopes to eventually work in agricultural policy or law, where she can advocate for farmers and others involved in the agriculture industry.
Calvin Myers of Bloomfield, Indiana, is preparing to begin his studies at Purdue University. He plans to study agribusiness management and hopes to use his education to serve the agriculture sector and contribute to rural communities.
Mya Stine, from Falling Waters, West Virginia, is beginning her education at Idaho Horseshoeing School. She plans to study animal science and pursue a career as a farrier, combining technical expertise with her interest in animal care.
Another recipient, Maxx Vetter of Cozad, Nebraska, is attending the Missouri Welding Institute to study welding. For Vetter, the scholarship represents more than financial assistance. He credits the program with changing his outlook and helping establish a foundation for his professional future.
Together, these students illustrate the increasingly diverse workforce required to support agriculture and rural economies. From agricultural policy and business management to veterinary services, welding and engineering, rural communities depend on professionals with a wide variety of skills.
Tractor Supply Extends Opportunities Beyond Scholarships
Tractor Supply’s involvement with Future Leaders does not end when students receive their scholarship awards.
Scholarship recipients can explore career opportunities with Tractor Supply at its stores and distribution centers while completing their education. The company also reserves internship opportunities at its Store Support Center for Future Leaders.
These opportunities can help students gain practical workplace experience while continuing their education. They also create a potential pathway for scholarship recipients to develop professional relationships and explore careers connected to the broader rural economy.
Scholarship Success Stories Show Long-Term Impact
The program’s impact can already be seen through former recipients who have completed their education and returned to serve their communities.
When Tractor Supply launched its first Future Leaders fundraising campaign in 2022, customers helped raise $1 million for scholarships. Payton Walk was among the students who benefited from that initial support.
Walk attended Colby Community College before earning a Bachelor of Science degree in animal sciences from Kansas State University. After completing her education, she returned to rural Kansas and began serving her community as Director of Community Development.
Her journey highlights one of the central goals of the Future Leaders program: helping students acquire the education and skills necessary to pursue meaningful careers while creating opportunities for them to bring those skills back to the communities where they grew up.
Building the Next Generation of Rural Workforce
The need for skilled agricultural professionals is expected to remain significant in the years ahead. Agriculture must continue adapting to changing technologies, environmental challenges, consumer needs and global food demand.
The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization has emphasized the need for substantial growth in agricultural production by 2050 to support a growing global population. At the same time, demographic changes within the U.S. agricultural workforce highlight the importance of attracting younger generations to farming and related professions.
The USDA has reported that the average age of beginning producers—those who have been farming for 10 years or less—is 47. These trends reinforce the importance of educational programs that introduce young people to agricultural careers while helping them obtain the financial and technical resources needed to succeed.
Future Leaders scholarship recipients are preparing to fill many of these critical roles. Some will become farmers and agribusiness professionals, while others will work as mechanics, welders, veterinarians, engineers, policy experts and agricultural leaders.
By supporting these students, Tractor Supply and its customers are helping create a stronger pipeline of talent for rural America. The investment also demonstrates how retailers, industry organizations, customers and local communities can work together to support the future of agriculture.
As the 2026 scholarship class begins or continues its educational journey, the Future Leaders program is building on a growing legacy of opportunity. With more than 500 students already supported and millions of dollars awarded, the initiative is helping turn educational aspirations into career possibilities—and ensuring that the next generation has the skills needed to keep rural communities thriving.
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