AgFirst Farm Credit Bank: Creating Transformational Learning Opportunities for Tomorrow's Agricultural Leaders
- Abigail Cannon
- Jul 19
- 5 min read
This spring, the John de la Howe School Foundation honored AgFirst Farm Credit Bank with its Growing the Future of Agriculture Award, recognizing more than four years of partnership that have expanded opportunities for students at the South Carolina Governor's School for Agriculture at John de la Howe.
President Dr. Timothy Keown describes AgFirst's impact in one word:
"Transformational."
Since 2021, AgFirst Farm Credit Bank has invested nearly $100,000 to expand hands-on learning, leadership development, and career preparation for Governor's School students. Through international travel experiences, participation in the National FFA Convention, entrepreneurship education, a state-of-the-art greenhouse, and innovative campus learning resources, AgFirst's support extends far beyond individual projects.
Together, these investments are equipping students with the knowledge, skills, and experiences they need to become the next generation of agricultural leaders in South Carolina and beyond.
A Shared Mission
AgFirst Farm Credit Bank's investment in the Governor's School reflects its broader mission of strengthening agriculture by investing in education, leadership development, and the next generation of agricultural professionals. As part of the nationwide Farm Credit System, AgFirst supports programs that prepare future farmers, agribusiness leaders, veterinarians, researchers, and innovators who will help sustain American agriculture for generations to come.
That mission aligns naturally with the Governor's School, where students are developing the knowledge, skills, and leadership needed to address the opportunities and challenges facing agriculture. Rather than simply funding individual initiatives, AgFirst has partnered with the school to create meaningful learning experiences that prepare students for successful careers while strengthening the future of the agricultural industry.
A Summer of Learning Without Borders
One of the luncheon's most meaningful moments was the presentation of five International Travel Scholarships, made possible through AgFirst's continued commitment to experiential learning.
The scholarships were presented by Frances Griggs, Executive Vice President, Chief Legal Officer & General Counsel, and Laura Kauffman, Community Relations & ESG Coordinator, representing AgFirst Farm Credit Bank.
This summer, Amelia Morris, Emily Sawitoski, Robert Crow, Morgan Craig, and Alicia Gaspar Chery traveled to Belgium and the Netherlands, where they explored innovative farming practices, sustainable food production, agribusiness operations, and agricultural systems from a global perspective.
For many students, it was their first opportunity to experience agriculture beyond the United States. The trip challenged them to think differently, broadened their understanding of the global food system, and reinforced that agriculture is both a local calling and an international profession.
"AgFirst has become much more than a funding partner—they have become a true partner in our mission," said Stacie Smith, Executive Director of the John de la Howe School Foundation. "Year after year, they continue to invest in experiences that shape our students long after graduation. Whether students are studying agriculture overseas, developing entrepreneurial skills, learning inside our greenhouse, or discovering new technologies in our library, AgFirst's partnership is helping prepare young people to become thoughtful, innovative leaders for the future of agriculture."
Growing Opportunities Close to Home
While international travel broadens students' perspectives, AgFirst has also invested in the hands-on learning experiences that take place every day on the Governor's School campus.
One of the most visible examples of that commitment is the school's state-of-the-art greenhouse.
Today, the greenhouse serves as a living laboratory where students gain hands-on experience in hydroponic production, greenhouse management, sustainable growing practices, and environmental stewardship. It also supports the school's commitment to sustainability by producing fresh vegetables for the student cafeteria while giving students practical experience they simply cannot gain from textbooks alone.
AgFirst helped bring that vision to life through an early investment in the project. In 2021, students visited AgFirst Farm Credit Bank, where they met with Jeff Payne and his team to learn more about Farm Credit and share the school's vision for expanding agricultural education. During that visit, AgFirst made a generous contribution toward the greenhouse project that would become one of the campus's most significant educational additions in decades.
When construction officially began in 2024, President Dr. Timothy Keown noted that the greenhouse represented one of the first major capital improvement projects on the Governor's School campus since the 1970s, underscoring both the significance of the project and the shared vision between AgFirst and the school.
Today, that vision is thriving as students apply classroom concepts in a real-world learning environment that prepares them for careers across the agricultural industry.
Expanding Learning Beyond the Classroom
AgFirst's investment extends far beyond a single building. By supporting experiential learning, leadership development, and innovation, the bank is helping students build the knowledge and skills they'll carry into college, careers, and their communities.
Recognizing that tomorrow's agricultural leaders need strong business skills alongside technical expertise, AgFirst has supported the Governor's School's AgBiz Basics curriculum through Farm Credit University. Students receive practical instruction in entrepreneurship, business planning, financial literacy, and agricultural economics—preparing them to lead farms, businesses, and organizations in an increasingly complex agricultural economy.
AgFirst has also helped students broaden their leadership development by supporting participation in the National FFA Convention, where they engage with agricultural professionals, explore career pathways, and experience one of the nation's premier agricultural leadership events.
These experiences expose students to emerging ideas, technologies, and opportunities while connecting them with peers and industry leaders from across the country.
Back on campus, AgFirst's support continues to inspire innovation through investments in educational resources and emerging technologies.
Their partnership has helped provide hydroponic growing systems, composting education resources, agricultural reference materials, a 3D printer, laser engraving supplies, and other makerspace equipment that encourage students to experiment, solve problems, and explore the technologies shaping modern agriculture.
An Investment That Keeps Growing
The impact of AgFirst's partnership cannot be measured solely in dollars invested or projects completed.
It is measured in students who return home from international travel with a broader understanding of agriculture.
It is measured in students who discover new possibilities while attending the National FFA Convention.
It is measured in future entrepreneurs developing their first business plans.
It is measured in students harvesting crops inside the greenhouse, experimenting with emerging technologies, and applying what they learn through hands-on experiences.
Most importantly, it is measured in young people who leave the Governor's School better prepared to lead, innovate, and serve.
That is what makes AgFirst's partnership truly transformational.
Together, the South Carolina Governor's School for Agriculture at John de la Howe and AgFirst Farm Credit Bank are investing in far more than educational programs.
Together, they are cultivating the future of agriculture.
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