IAA Foundation Awards Over $166,000 in Agriculture Scholarships, Including Local Recipients

BLOOMINGTON – The IAA Foundation, the charitable arm of the Illinois Farm Bureau, has awarded $166,251 in scholarships to 95 students pursuing agriculture-related degrees for the 2025–2026 school year, including two local recipients. Dana Merriman of Lee County received the $1,000 IAA Foundation Scholar in honor of Prairie Farms Dairy Leadership Scholarship, and Lydia Oker of DeKalb County was awarded the $2,500 Charles B. Shuman Scholarship. Students were selected based on leadership, community involvement, career goals, and commitment to agriculture