Below are the winners for the 2009 Scholarship.

My early childhood educational career coincided with my working on an Eastern North Carolina farm. In the year 1990, my father started growing cotton. At the age of eight, it was evident that I was interested in the cotton production process. This holds true today in my eagerness to learn more about the agricultural profession and its contribution to society.

Since my early childhood years, my family has been involved in growing cotton and is part owner of a cotton gin. Cotton production has been the backbone of my family's farming operation for many years. My plan for the future is to attend North Carolina State University and to further my knowledge in the agricultural field. Through what is expected to learn at North Carolina State University, my knowledge will be brought back home to improve the quality of farming, especially in cotton production. I would enhance my understanding of different cotton seed varieties, various kinds of practices to manage certain problems, and how to maximize cotton yields using practices that are agronomically, economically, and environmentally sound.

At the present time, cotton prices have dropped as a result of the current economic situation. However, I still feel strongly that there is a future in cotton. In the upcoming years, I hope that world demand will increase where it will justify growing more acres of cotton. My objective as a future North Carolina farmer is to show leadership in farming by being a more productive cotton farmer and servant leader. My goal is to benefit my family, future generations, and hopefully contribute to my community and other ways as a responsible citizen.

"Miss Katie, what's that white stuff in the grass?" From a bus window headed to a 4-H event one of my fifth grade 4-Hers caught her first glimpse of a cotton field. When I told her that the "white stuff" was the same cotton that her shirt and jeans were made of she was surprised. Many of today's youth are indifferent to the cotton industry due simply to lack of exposure. I would love to have the opportunity to spread the "Cotton News" around the United States. I've grown up surrounded by agriculture. My Dad is an Extension Agent and both my uncle and grandfather are farmers. I want to carry on a family legacy by making my own contributions to the industry.

I plan to pursue a career in Agriculture Communications. I've been active in 4-H for the past ten years on the county, district, state and national level. My involvement in 4-H helped me to realize my love for both agriculture and public speaking. Participating in Cotton Boll and Consumer Judging Contests as well as The Cotton Boll Speech Competition helped me realize just how important the cotton industry is to Georgia and the rest of the United States. Serving as a State 4-H Officer has allowed me more insight into the Cotton Industry and the various jobs in the industry sectors surrounding it. Cotton Boll research taught me that cotton was so much more than a fabric. Cotton is a fiber, feed, and a food crop.

I plan to make a mark on Georgia agriculture differently than my family. I want to address agricultural issues by representing the cotton farmer in small town America. A degree in Agricultural Communications would help me reach the American people through written publications, public relations, and telecommunications. I would enjoy managing outreach and publicity for The Georgia Cotton Commission, National Cotton Council or the Southern Cotton Growers Association. Serving as a guest speaker and informing others about the industry would be a rewarding job. However, my dream is to represent the cotton industry on a national level.

I would love to take messages from the cotton fields of rural Georgia to policy makers that will direct this industry and keep it successful in today's changing global economic market. World cotton statistics predict tight times ahead for the cotton industry. Record demands for biofuels are pulling attention away from the cotton industry. Increased corn and soybean cultivation is going to reduce the amount of cotton being grown. Therefore, cotton prices are predicted to rise substantially in the coming years. The cotton industry needs an advocate to speak out on its behalf. A degree in Agricultural Communications and the support of DeltaPine will equip me with the skills I need to lead Georgia's cotton industry into a new day.

My Future in Cotton by James Nevil Clank! Clank! Clank! That's the sound of the chains on the boll buggy dumping the piles of fluffy cotton into the module builder. The dark sky and the cool night make the lights of the tractor burn like a bright sun shining on the field where the pickers make their final rounds before the dew falls. I have been around farm life since before I can remember. My grandfather owns and works on a farm. It is on this particular farm that I experienced the cotton harvest season. Packing the cotton on the module builder and painting the farm numbers down the side after it is tarped completely makes it ready to be transported to the gin.

Working on the farm and especially in the cotton field is something I enjoy and want it to be a part of my life. The quote by Tommy Horton in Mississippi Miracle says it all, "When a cotton farmer has a passion for his crop, nothing will deter him." This I believe to be very true. I spent several years just "learning the ropes", and it wasn't until two years ago that I was released on my own to operator the boll buggy and get the full experience of learning about all aspects of growing and harvesting cotton. This is when I truly fell in love with the cotton crop.

There is no better feeling than to get out of school and go to the field. This is why I want to do whatever it takes to become a successful cotton farmer, so I will continue to strive to reach my dream. This dream is owning my own farm and growing, harvesting, and selling my cotton. To accomplish my dream means I need a good education to understand all the technology in producing good quality cotton. This involves knowing the best farm practices, the recommended seeds, fertilizers, and insecticides, the right time to harvest, the importance of keeping accurate records of all expenses, etc. Above all, I will confer with farmers, county agents, and others who are knowledgeable in growing cotton to give me sound information to achieve my goal as a cotton farmer.

With all this help, I can make good decisions that give me a chance to make a profit, but I know I must also plan for bad years as well as for good years. So many problems have to be considered by not only the cotton farmer but by all farmers – droughts, too much rain, high cost of fertilizer, insecticides, and seeds, expensive machinery, break downs, crop diseases and pests, fuel, increased taxes, and many more unexpected issues that might occur. Therefore, I value my education in agriculture and the expertise of farm experts to help me cope with the above problems when needed. So, as a future farmer, I want to help cotton remain "king" as it is an important part of the livelihood of Americans.

As a young child, I was always intrigued by the growth process of a plant. Whether it was a plant of cotton, corn, wheat, alfalfa, or silage grain, it was all of interest in my younger years. As I woke up on most school mornings, I quickly threw on my tattered denim jacket, put on my overly worn leather Justin boots, that were perfectly formed to my little feet, and hustled my way next door to feed my young prospect heifers for my 4H and FFA projects.

As I run next door, I glance out towards the rising sun, to find the crisply growing stalks of the upcoming Pima crop growing through the freshly uncapped earth. I typically looked and wondered how that could be possible, and although I knew little of the crops, I knew that what was being grown was of great importance to the world around me. Finishing my great race over at the cattle, I begin to feed the rations to the cows: One leaf of fresh alfalfa, one scoop of four-way grain, and one helping of beet-pulp dashed with Acala cotton seed. Back then I didn't quite grasp the concept of the cotton seed, and its vast importance on the growth of my many heifers. Now as a senior and a former State Cotton Judging Champion, I know the importance cotton has played in that growth process.

As I pursued farming throughout the years, I continued the inquiries into plant growth. I started as a freshman, in Mr. Rossi's Ag. Class, with a good family friend leading the cotton judging speech; it was Jean Errotabere. He spoke so passionately of the plant and the stipulations as to how it was grown, and how we have gotten where we are in farming this crop today. Jean hammered the tests and ran over so many samples we were dreaming about Cotton! But it was good. Our hard work paid off all three years, and climaxed when I was a junior. I was the only junior on a team of seniors.

After the trials at Fresno State, the results were in, with Riverdale on top. I was the highest placing individual on my team, and second high in the state. I was ecstatic! Today I am applying for colleges, and have come a long way from that little boy running to the cows. I now truly know what those plants mean, and how they are grown. Working in the fields, and learning firsthand, has given me this drive for Ag. My future in cotton seems to be prosperous. I am applying under Animal Science, with a minor in Crop Science. After college I plan to own a farm, specializing in cattle and crops. My future isn't clear, but I am certain cotton will be in it. I hope to grow great yielding fields and cattle, with extreme quality. I will continue my love for plants, and will undoubtedly contribute to the King Crop of California: Cotton. Thank you.

My Future in Cotton Watching my family suffer through dry years and reaping the yields of wet years has given me first hand knowledge of the challenge of American farmers. My character was built at the end of a hoe handle and moving miles of irrigation pipe on early summer mornings.

Through my family's farm operation, I have experienced cotton production from planting to harvesting. From sun up to sun down I have made sure that the seed was planted in wet soil, looked after the crop for insect and weed problems, and harvested the cotton as profit. I soon learned my life was headed to the lines of agriculture and the cotton industry. Being the son of a farmer, I always attended cotton seed production meetings with major companies such as Monsanto and Delta Pine and Land. During these meetings, I learned about genetically enhanced cotton seed. This new cotton seed led me to personal interviews with production specialist Kelly Tucker and Clint Warren, who informed me of their jobs and the advantages of genetically enhanced cotton seed compared to conventional cotton seed.

With the help of these men and my own research, I was able to put together an educational presentation on how much more cotton is produced with genetically enhanced cotton seed to conventional cotton seed, how much less labor intensive it is, and how it will save the producer on expenses in the end. Mr. Tucker and Mr. Warren informed me that they work with this new seed everyday of their lives which led me to looking into a career such as theirs because it interested me in so many ways. Cotton is my family's main source of income. Therefore, it will be cotton that pays my way through college as I enter Texas Tech University next year. My plan is to major in agronomy.

I hope to use my degree with a company such as Delta Pine and Land to insure more improvements of the technology of cotton seed. Not only will cotton pay my way through college, I expect it to be my source of income after completing college. I see the cotton industry thriving for years to come. Producers are not going to stop planting cotton any time soon because it is a major source of income for them. Not only do the producers need it for income, but everyday citizens across the world need cotton for various reasons such as clothing. Cotton is here to stay, and I plan to be a part of the industry.

There is a terrible perception developing around the world that genetically engineered cotton is dangerous. Therefore countries deem it necessary to unfairly regulate our cotton through trade barriers and higher import tariffs. My place in the future of cotton is to work towards bringing clarity to consumers of the truth about the industry, help establish science based trade regulations around the world and work as a continual advocate of genetically engineered crop technology.

The trust consumers have in agriculture has been in a downward spiral not only around the world, but also here in the U.S. Fears ranging from ‘mad' cow disease to the continual arguments over the safety of genetically modified organisms have all contributed to this erosion of trust. Before pursuing a career which would take me overseas, I hope to be involved through the USDA in brightening the image of agriculture by helping communicate directly to consumers through new lines of communication. Afterwards I hope to have the opportunity to be involved on the international level of agricultural trade.

Currently many countries have restricted the import of our genetically modified cotton seeds; such as Bt Cotton, which has helped American farmers' combat destructive insects. The reasons for these barriers are in many cases unfounded and solely based on political rather than scientific reasoning. Through my involvement in negotiations similar to those of the ongoing Doha Development Rounds, I wish to push the U.S. policy of science-based trade regulation to be adopted as international law. This must be done to protect our seed creators and farmers of GMO crops who are paying the price from these unfair practices. Once my journeying alongside diplomatic trade missions come to an end, I will still be apart of the future of cotton by becoming an agricultural instructor for both college level and high school level students.

Through my instruction I will encourage students to pursue agricultural careers. To do this I will be utilizing opportunities such as Career Development Events (CDEs) in the FFA for students to experience a variety of agricultural career paths. Cotton judging, for example, is a CDE that is being conducted in a growing number of states, allowing students to study cotton through quality tests and a written/multiple choice exam. Involvement in the cotton industry will be a huge area of my life in the future.

I will help by providing a better picture of cotton's technological advances to consumers and skeptics. I will also take part in leading the way to reforming international trade laws to make them based solely on scientific reasoning. Finally, I will become a teacher for a new generation exposing them to the opportunities that exist in the cotton and agricultural industries. Agriculture is the backbone of America to keep it strong we need to encourage the best and the brightest to join our ranks. It is my hope that I can nurture that future generation, by doing what I can for the future of cotton.

As a Senior Member of the Parker FFA Chapter, I will always have the FFA Creed embedded in my heart, mind, and Soul. The words "I Believe in the Future of Agriculture" mean so much more to me, than the average FFA member. My classmates may go on to become farmers and agriculturist of many types, but I see my future to be far larger than that.

I can see myself as an Agricultural Education Teacher. Since the early days, I have had an unquenchable thirst for knowledge. When you add that fact to my love of Agriculture, it's a done deal. I know I am destined to instruct others in the noble art of farming. Although I know my future deals not with directly growing cotton, harvesting it, or marketing it, I do know that I am going to inspire. My plan is to inspire the youth, our future, to continue the traditions of our past. It is widely known that the American Farmer is a dying breed.

This has come about by lack of consumer awareness as well as the fact that families move to urban settings. I believe that if we can spark an interest in the youth, we can reverse this social upheaval. Not only will I teach potential cotton farmers, but I could inspire a stockbroker, or a future Agriscience Genius who invents a new breed of cotton. I believe in always looking for a bigger picture. The picture I see for our future is me teaching our future agriculturists including the cotton producers of America.

When I recall some of my fondest childhood memories, I always return to the days I spent ridding in the cotton picker with my Dad. I loved to sit in his lap and watch the cotton be swallowed by the great machine and then tossed into the hopper. These memories that I hope to one day bestow on my own son are the ones that have encouraged me to pursue a carrier in cotton production. After high school graduation, I plan to attend Clemson University where I will study for my Agricultural Business and Mechanization degree.

Once I receive my diploma I plan to return home and take over our family farm. Right now my Father manages 1250 acres of cotton a year. I hope to expand the farms cotton production to 2000 acres a year. I plan to use a unique crop rotation system, planting crops such as legumes that give nutrients back to the soil, in hopes of maximizing my yield. While in college I hope to study crop production techniques in order to increase my yield. Also, by carefully analyzing data and history records of past cotton raising methods, I hope to capitalize on the positive techniques of the farmers of the past, and also to avoid the negative techniques. With all of the new innovations in cotton production, it is now possible to produce a higher yield while managing fewer acres.

With technology such as the BT Gene, the Glyphosate Gene, and the Triple Stack Gene many of the hardships of cotton production have been eliminated. I plan to invest in these new technologies and also to participate in cotton production studies in order to optimize my cotton yield. The cotton industry is forever changing; with new innovative ideas and new technologies, know one knows what the future of cotton production holds. However, I see myself in that future. Working with the experts I plan to incorporate the innovative technologies and ideas into my cotton producing operation in hopes that it will not only provide my family with a substantial income, but also that it will allow me to provide for my son the childhood memories that my Father gave to me.

I cannot remember the number of times that I have driven past a cotton patch in full bloom in northeast Texas. For years, I have watched these plants grow form green shoots to green boles to acres of white cotton and finally into modular bales sitting in the fields. I have lived on a family farm my entire life where we have raised crops and cattle. I can remember back to sitting on the cotton stripper as a young child and riding in the trailer on a bed of white cotton as my granddad would make the three-mile trip to the cotton gin. Those were the good old' days and I have missed them ever since. The region of Texas that I live in used to thrive with cotton. Everyone raised it and the cotton gins were always humming.

Sadly, over the past decade, they have shut down one by one and that three-mile trip would now be a thirty-mile journey. This was the effect as my family and many other local farmers slowly stopped raising cotton throughout the years ago due to bole weevil infestation and the increasing cost of crop production. However, in recent years we have seen the introduction of an effective bole weevil prevention program along with round-up ready cotton that has make it easier for farmers to raise and produce a quality crop. As a future agriculturist I hope to do my part in seeing cotton again become a major crop raised in northeast Texas.

Texas is consistently among the top producers in the nation and the United States is consistently among the top producers in the world. As I leave high school and enter college I plan on majoring in Agriculture Science at Texas A&M University – College Station. With my degree, I have plans of becoming an Agriculture Science Instructor where I will be able to teach the next generation of agriculturists and farmers how to make the most out of their land. As the world population increases exponentially, our world will be faced a land shortage crisis in years to come and it will become an increasingly bigger burden on each successive generation to produce enough food and fiber to sustain this great number of people. In addition to teaching cotton production to others, I also plan on maintaining the family farm and reintroducing cotton to my farm soil.

In college I hope to learn the best techniques for producing the highest yields so that I may apply these to my personal farming. With this scholarship, I would be able to pursue my dreams of attending college and furthering my knowledge of agriculture and the cotton industry. I know that the future of cotton is imperative to the American economy and to American agriculture. Through my heavy involvement in the National FFA Organization, I can attest first hand to the benefits of agriculture instruction and want to do all I can to help perpetuate this cause through my future in cotton.