Micheal Clements, NAFB News Service

The American Farm Bureau Federation and Farm Credit recently announced the ten semi-finalist teams in the 2021 Farm Bureau Ag Innovation Challenge. The ten semi-finalist teams were awarded $7,500 each and will compete at the AFBF Convention in January, to advance to the final round. The four finalist teams will receive an additional $7,500 for a total of $15,000. The final four teams will compete live to win the Farm Bureau Entrepreneur of the Year award, for a total of $50,000, and the People’s Choice Award for $20,000. AFBF President Zippy Duvall says the semi-finalists are “providing solutions for some of the biggest challenges facing agriculture,” adding, “This includes supporting farms, ranches and rural economies affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.” The top ten semi-finalist teams will participate in pitch training and mentorship from Cornell University’s SC Johnson College of Business faculty, and network with representatives from the Agriculture Department’s Rural Business Investment Companies. To learn more about the Challenge and the ten semi-finalists, visit fb.org/challenge.