The American Soybean Association (ASA) is pleased to announce the 2008-09 Secure Optimal Yield (SOY) Scholarship. The SOY Scholarship is a one-time $5,000 award to an eligible High School senior who plans to declare agriculture as a degree area of study at the University of their choice. The award is to be used directly for tuition, fees, and/or books, not to exceed $2,500 per semester, and not to exceed tuition amount with other fee dedicated aid. The scholarship is managed by ASA and sponsored by BASF Corporation.

This year’s scholarship is named in honor of Kip Cullers, the Missouri soybean producer who set a new world’s record soybean yield of more than139 bushels per acre last year.

"What Cullers did was show us that soybeans possess a lot more genetic yield potential than most of us would have ever imagined," said ASA President John Hoffman, a soybean producer from Waterloo, Iowa. "By providing financial assistance for college, the ASA is helping to cultivate the potential of a deserving High School senior."

The scholarship idea resulted from collaboration between ASA and BASF Corporation, who are partnering in a multi-faceted national field trials program that is demonstrating to growers the advantages of crop management practices that include the use of residual herbicides and fungicides on soybeans. More than 100 growers participated in the SOY field trials this year.

"As we look back to where the agriculture industry has come from and where it is expected to go in the next decade, it’s clear that education is a critical key to success," said Andy Lee, Director, US Business Operations, Crop Protection Products for BASF. "We are very pleased to support the American Soybean Association and help the next generation of soybean growers succeed ."

Scholarship applicants must be the child or grandchild of a current, active member of the ASA (membership in state soybean association is the same as membership in ASA), and meet all necessary requirements to apply. Non-members can take advantage of this opportunity by first joining the ASA. For more information about membership, go to www.SoyGrowers.com.

Scholarship applications are now being accepted. Complete details and applications are available at: www.SoyGrowers.com/sym/. The deadline for submission of all required information and documentation is December 31, 2007.

Selection will be made and the winner will be notified in January 2008. The scholarship winner also will be recognized at the ASA awards banquet, and at a breakfast with BASF representatives and Kip Cullers, during the annual Commodity Classic, Feb. 28-March 2, in Nashville. The scholarship award will be sent directly to the student’s school of choice after enrollment has been verified.

"This is a great opportunity for your son or daughter, or your grandson or granddaughter," Hoffman said. "Be sure to share this information with them so they can compete for this scholarship."