National Ag Day Video Contest

Scholarship Sponsored by Agriculture Council of America (ACA)

The Agriculture Council of America is calling on students nationwide to participate in the National Ag Day Video Essay Contest. The theme for this year is "Agriculture in the Future: If I had Two Minutes to Talk to a Farmer."

Contestants are urged to delve into the future of agriculture, articulating their thoughts, ideas, and concerns in a succinct and captivating way.

The aim of National Ag Day is to honor agriculture and to enhance consumer understanding of how farmers and the companies that serve them produce plentiful, healthy, nutritious, and safe food. They do this while caring for the land and leading in preservation and innovation for the health of our planet and our families.

By entering this contest, students can exercise their creativity, engage with significant agricultural issues, and provide valuable insights into the future of farming in the United States.

We urge all contestants to back up their arguments with facts. As you prepare your video, consider the following:

• Discuss the future of agriculture and its impact on society, the environment, technology, and the economy.
• Explore innovative farming practices, sustainability, technological advancements, challenges faced by farmers, or any other relevant topic related to the future of agriculture.
• Contestants should envision having a brief conversation with a farmer and express their thoughts on the future of agriculture within the 2-minute timeframe.

Contest Guidelines

1. The 2024 Ag Day Essay Contest is VIDEO ONLY.
2. Contestants must create an original video essay with minimal guidance from adults, teachers, or agricultural industry professionals. Interviews with industry professionals or farmers are acceptable for research; input beyond research is not permitted.
3. By submitting a video, contestants give the contest organizers the right to use, edit, and distribute the video for promotional and educational purposes.
4. All entries must be received at the Agriculture Council of America office by midnight CST, February 9, 2024.

Contestant Eligibility

1. The contest is open to students in grades 9 through 12 in the 2023-24 school year. Contestants must be a U.S. citizen and attending school in the U.S. All contestants must meet all requirements to compete.
2. Contestants can submit only one video essay entry per year.

Video Essay Contest Regulations

1. The video must address the official topic.
2. All uploaded videos must be in .MP4 or .WMV format. The video must not exceed TWO (2) minutes in length.
3. All entries must be in English.
4. Videos can be in any format (e.g., documentary, animation, interview-style) but must be visually engaging and well-edited.
5. To submit the video essay, visit FILE TRANSFER and follow the instructions on the page.
6. All video essays must be accompanied by an entry form in Word or PDF format. Entries must be received no later than midnight CST, February 9, 2024.
7. Entries must not contain any sexually explicit, disparaging, libelous or other inappropriate content, language or nudity, as determined solely by the Sponsor.
8. Entries must not contain any act that is considered dangerous, as determined solely by the Sponsor.
9. Entries must not violate any copyrights or trademarks, including music used in the video. The applicant must have consent and credit the music or it must be the applicant’s original music.
10. Failure to comply with the rules may result in disqualification at the discretion of the ACA.

Judging and Timing

A panel of qualified judges, comprising representatives from the sponsoring organizations and experts from the agriculture industry, will complete the judging.

Scoring Criteria for the Video Essay Contest

1. Originality and creativity (30%)
2. Relevance and depth of content (30%)
3. Presentation and communication skills (20%)
4. Adherence to the theme (20%)

Prizes

1. First Place Winner – $1,500
2. Second Place Winner - $1,000
3. Third Place - $500

Winners will be contacted via email in February. Winners will be announced to the public and media before National Ag Day. Non-winning entries will not be notified. To check if your entry won, visit agday.org. For more information, contact [email protected], RE: 2024 Ag Day Essay Contest.

Winning entries will be showcased on the Ag Day website and at Ag Day ceremonies in Washington, DC. They will also be played during the Ag Day Virtual Event.