Farm Bureau seeks middle school essay, high school art contest entries

Are you a middle school student who likes to write? Are you a high school student who likes to draw? If so, then enter the 2021 Georgia Farm Bureau Middle School Essay and High School Art Contests for the chance to win some great cash prizes.

The Georgia Farm Bureau (GFB) Essay Contest is open to all public, private and home-schooled 6th, 7th and 8th-grade students statewide. The 10 GFB district winners of the essay contest will receive $100 each and compete for the state prize of $150. The first, second and third place winners of the Coffee County Farm Bureau Essay Contest will receive a cash prize.

The GFB Art Contest is open to all public, private and home-schooled students in 9th through 12th grades. The 10 GFB district art contest winners will receive a cash prize of $100.  The 10 GFB district art contest winners will compete for the state prize of $250 cash. Two state runners-up in the art contest will each receive $150 cash. The first, second and third place winners of the Coffee County Farm Bureau Art Contest will receive a cash prize.

GFB’s Certified Farm Markets are the focus of both contests. Middle school students entering the essay contest are being asked to discuss how GFB Certified Farm Markets and agritourism in general benefit farmers and consumers. High schoolers entering the art contest should draw a scene depicting one of the almost 80 GFB Certified Farm Markets located across Georgia or a crop grown at a GFB CFM such as apples, beef, blueberries, Christmas trees, eggs, peaches, pecans, pumpkins, strawberries, or vegetables.

Students may enter the contests in the county in which they live or attend school but not both. To enter either contest, students should contact their county Farm Bureau for an official entry form and complete contest rules. County Farm Bureau contest winners will be entered in GFB district competition.  All entries must be officially submitted by a county Farm Bureau to the Georgia Farm Bureau home office.                                                                              

All entries must be received at local county Farm Bureau offices by Feb. 26, 2021; county Farm Bureaus must submit their county winners to GFB for state judging by March 12.

Students and teachers may visit www.gfb.ag/CertifiedFarmMarket to learn more about GFB’s Certified Farm Markets. Students who would like to enter the art contest, but are unable to visit a CFM in person, are encouraged to select a market from the GFB CFM webpage and visit the market’s website or social media account for inspiration. Search “Farm Monitor Certified Farm  Market” on YouTube for video tours of several markets. Teachers may access lesson plans for 6th through 8th grade students that accompany this essay question at www.gfb.ag/21EClessonplan .

Essays will be judged on how well the essay topic is addressed, adherence to standard English grammar rules, and use of primary and secondary sources for research pertaining to essay topic referenced in the essay.

Artwork must be on 8.5 x 11-inch white paper and should be created in the colors black, white and gray. Contestants may use a variety of media to create their artwork including graphite, charcoal, pastel, chalk, colored pencil, pen-and-ink, ballpoint pen or mixed media appropriate for printing.

Drawings will be judged on 1) how well the artwork represents modern agriculture found in the artist’s county or Georgia and 2) artistic merit.                                                

Students entering the art contest must be willing to allow Georgia Farm Bureau to reprint copies of their drawings. The winning artwork becomes the property GFB and will be printed in a calendar distributed by Georgia Farm Bureau to promote agriculture.    

Entries are limited to one entry per person in both contests. Multiple entries will be disqualified. Previous state winners are not eligible for either contest.

For more information, contact your county Farm Bureau office or visit www.gfb.ag/21artcontest and www.gfb.ag/21essaycontest .

“The purpose of the Farm Bureau Art and Essay Contests is to encourage students to creatively explore Georgia agriculture” said Coffee County Farm Bureau Women’s Committee Chairman Kem McKinnon. “By asking the students to illustrate a Georgia Farm Bureau Certified Farm Market or write about agritourism we are giving the students an opportunity to visit a working farm and see agriculture in action.”

The Coffee County Farm Bureau Art and Essay Contest winners will be entered in the Georgia Farm Bureau Tenth District competition. All entries must be officially submitted by the Coffee County Farm Bureau to the Georgia Farm Bureau home office.

The Georgia Farm Bureau Women’s Leadership Committee coordinates the contest. For more information, contact the Coffee County Farm Bureau office at 912-384-4412.                          

Founded in 1937, Georgia Farm Bureau is the state’s largest general farm organization. Its volunteer members participate in local, state and national activities to promote agriculture to their non-farming neighbors. GFB offers its members a wide variety of benefits, including insurance, but enrollment in any of the member benefits is optional and not a requirement for membership.