2026 Lois Britt Memorial Pork Industry Scholarship

Closes December 12

The application period for the 2026 Lois Britt Memorial Pork Industry Scholarship is now open through Friday, December 12, 2025! This scholarship, sponsored by CME Group and the National Pork Industry Foundation (NPIF) and administered by the National Pork Producers Council (NPPC), is available to undergraduate students pursuing careers in agriculture.

Ten $2,500 scholarships are awarded annually to students who intend to pursue a career in the pork industry and who exhibit characteristics representative of future pork industry leaders.

To be eligible, applicants must:

1. Be a current undergraduate student in a two-year swine program or four-year college of agriculture.

2. Be a U.S. citizen. High school students are not eligible.

3. Submit a cover sheet with the following information:

• Name of applicant

• Name of school

• Year in school

• Contact information (email address, cell phone number and home and school mailing addresses)

4. Submit a brief letter indicating what role the applicant sees themselves playing in the pork industry after graduation.

5. Submit an essay of 750 words or less describing a current or emerging issue facing the pork industry. Include practical solutions and detail how your intended career or future involvement in the industry will help implement or support these solutions.

6. Submit two letters of reference from current or former professors or industry professionals.

Essays are judged on the basis of clarity and expression, persuasiveness, originality and relevance of topic.

Please submit your application either through NPPC’s online form, email to invest@nppc.org, OR send materials in a single envelope to the address below no later than Friday, December 12, 2025.

National Pork Producers Council

ATTN: Lois Britt Memorial Pork Industry Scholarship

P.O. Box 10383

Des Moines, IA 50306-9960

Please contact Jacob Sterle, NPPC Director of Industry Resource Development, with questions about the scholarship at 515-278-8012 or invest@nppc.org.

Learn more and apply here.