By Eric Jenks, Special to NEAFA
As summer winds down and the school year begins for many across the country, NEAFA would like to take a moment to highlight the wonderful and industrious winners of our 2026 NEAFA Scholarship for Future Agriculturists, created in conjunction with New York FFA Leadership Training Foundation. Applications are due in January of each year, with the winners being announced in February. This month, NEAFA spoke with Lily Marshman, of Oxford, NY, on her plans this upcoming freshman year at Cornell University College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. “I visited a lot of schools,” said Marshman. “But as soon as I visited Cornell, it was the only school that felt right from the diversity of programs and the differences in ideas and viewpoints that are available. I am looking forward to learning from the different professors and peers on campus.”
Like many in the agricultural industry, Marshman has a lifelong association with agriculture. “I’ve lived on a dairy farm my entire life,” said Marshman. “It’s been the core of my values, morals, passions, and interests. Like every farm kid, I wake up every day, and chores need to be done. I see firsthand how hard my family works to keep it going. Everyone I’ve met in the industry is so kind and hardworking, and that’s very inspiring.”
Looking towards the future, Marshman would like to work on the policy side of agriculture. “My main focus in school is learning how ag policy affects farming, and being an advocate for farming through policy,” said Marshman. “Growing up, I got involved with FFA, 4H, and had leadership positions. With FFA during my sophomore and junior years, I loved the prepared public speaking contest. I worked on supporting the Dairy Pride Act to stop plant-based products from being called milk. I created a petition, met with my local representatives, and even went to Washington D.C., where I met with my federal representatives and national advocacy groups. It was very cool to see how my actions can affect the ag industry at large.”
NEAFA would like to congratulate all four of the 2026 scholarship winners: Lily Marshman, Mason Hill, Logan Mills, and Clare Titus. Since 2019, NEAFA has partnered with New York FFA Leadership Training Foundation to provide four $1000 scholarships to eligible high school seniors planning to pursue a field of study that will lead to a career in agriculture, with a specific emphasis on animal science, agronomy, agriculture education or agribusiness. The future of agriculture is dependent on our youth, as they will be tasked with some of the most difficult and most challenging issues facing the agriculture community. This scholarship compliments the mission of NEAFA's Good Works Program to support initiatives that enhance opportunities for youth in agriculture.