Veterans and Heroes to Agriculture Scholarship

As part of the West Virginia Department of Agriculture's Veterans and Heroes to Agriculture Program, the scholarship opportunity reimburses participants up to $600 each fiscal year (ending June 30) for any pre-approved agricultural-related classes, workshops, conferences, and certifications. The broader Veterans and Heroes to Agriculture Program integrates and supports veterans, firefighters, law enforcement, emergency services personnel, and first responders entering or currently working in agriculture, to benefit their health and welfare as well as the state's agricultural economy. Approved courses have included offerings such as Beef Production & Management, Beekeeping 101, Cattleman's College, Food for Profit, Orchard Management, Soil Health, and the WV Master Gardener Conference, among others (the list is not all-encompassing).

Open to members of the Veterans and Heroes to Agriculture program - veterans, firefighters, law enforcement, emergency services personnel, and first responders entering or currently working in agriculture. The program application collects a baseline of information and is free to join. Classes, workshops, conferences, and certifications must be pre-approved, and the applicant must fill out the Scholarship Application PRIOR to registering for the training event.

A flat annual reimbursement ceiling, no match and no contract term. The West Virginia Department of Agriculture "will reimburse up to $600 each fiscal year, ending June 30th, for any pre-approved agricultural-related classes, workshops, conferences, and certifications."

How the money works:

• Reimbursement, not an advance. The $600 is paid back to the participant after the fact, so the participant fronts the registration cost.

• Pre-approval is a hard condition. "You must fill out the Scholarship Application PRIOR to registering for the training event." A course registered for before approval is not reimbursable.

• The allowance resets annually on the July 1 fiscal year, so a participant can claim up to $600 again each year.

• No per-course sub-limit is published — the $600 is the annual total across all classes, workshops, conferences, and certifications.

• No match, fee, or cost-share percentage is published, and joining the underlying Veterans and Heroes to Agriculture program is free.

Note for anyone comparing figures: WVDA runs a separate, much larger organizational grant under the same program banner — "Grants may not exceed $24,000, and are awarded through an application process" — which is for organizations serving veterans and first responders, not for individual training reimbursement.

Fill out the Scholarship Application before registering for the training event. Completed applications can be emailed to vetstoag@wvda.us or mailed to: Business Development Division, ATTN: Veterans and Heroes to Agriculture, 217 Gus R Douglas Lane, Charleston, WV 25312. Reimbursement is up to $600 each fiscal year ending June 30. Questions about a class, workshop, conference, or certification can be directed to the Business Development Division at 304-558-2210 or vetstoag@wvda.us.