News Release

Director of Agriculture Richard Fordyce announced that 19 youth groups from across Missouri were awarded grants from the Missouri Department of Agriculture's 2014 Building Our American Communities grant program today. Nine local chapters of the National FFA Organization and ten Missouri 4-H clubs statewide have been granted funding for their community service projects this year.

"Our FFA and 4-H youth are the future of Missouri's agriculture industry and it is outstanding to see their efforts to make a difference for their communities through these projects," said Director Fordyce. "Congratulations to each of the organizations participating in the Building Our American Communities program, and to the communities benefiting from the youths' service."

Each of the 2014 awardees will receive $500 toward their projects, which may include upgrades or additions to existing facilities, grounds or buildings, such as fairgrounds, parks or community centers used by local organizations. The 2014 grant recipients are:

FFA Chapters
• Carthage FFA Chapter, Carthage (Jasper County)
• Elsberry FFA Chapter, Elsberry (Lincoln County)
• Moberly FFA Chapter, Moberly (Randolph County)
• Odessa FFA Chapter, Odessa (Lafayette County)
• Pleasant Hope FFA Chapter, Pleasant Hope (Polk County)
• Ste. Genevieve FFA Chapter, Ste. Genevieve (Ste. Genevieve County)
• Tarkio FFA Chapter, Tarkio (Atchison County)
• Versailles FFA Chapter, Versailles, (Morgan County)
• Washington FFA Chapter, Washington (Franklin County)

4-H Clubs
• Ava 4-H Club, Ava (Douglas County)
• Cooper County 4-H Club, Boonville (Cooper County)
• Farrar Hawthorne 4-H Club, Altenburg (Perry County)
• Lucky Star 4-H Club, Marceline (Chariton County)
• God's Clover Patch 4-H Club, Cabool (Texas County)
• Kodiak Kadetts 4-H Club, Savannah (Andrew County)
• Neighborly Community 4-H Club, Cairo (Randolph County)
• Pleasant Dorsey 4-H Club, Albany (Gentry County)
• Radiant Rascals 4-H Club, Versailles (Morgan County)
• Tilsit 4-H Club, Cape Girardeau (Cape Girardeau County)

The Building Our American Communities program has been supporting youth projects since the 1970s. Each year, youth organizations throughout Missouri submit proposals for consideration for the grants, which range from $100 to $500 and support specific projects within each community. The grants are funded through Missouri's Agriculture Development Fund under an agreement with the USDA.

4-H clubs and FFA chapters awarded grants this year must complete their projects no later than September 1, 2014.

For more information on the Department and its programs, visit agriculture.mo.gov.