San Antonio Stock Show and Rodeo invests $300,000 in Borlaug youth program
Three-year commitment will expand Texas 4-H youth agriculture program into Bexar County
A recent gift from the San Antonio Stock Show and Rodeo will expand the Norman Borlaug Youth in Agriculture Program, NBYAP, into Bexar County.
The three-year, $300,000 investment will support the program’s expansion beginning in the 2026-2027 Texas 4-H year. The funding will also support program activities and $5,000 educational grants for graduating participants.
The Norman Borlaug Youth in Agriculture Program was developed by Texas 4-H Youth Development Program in 2022 as an opportunity to bring urban and rural youth together to learn, collaborate and develop solutions addressing real-world challenges.
Texas 4-H is administered by the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service and provides opportunities for positive youth development across all 254 counties in Texas.
Youth addressing real issues in agriculture
“We’ve been investing in the Texas 4-H Youth Livestock and Agriculture Program for decades, because we believe the future of agriculture runs through these dedicated students,” said Cody Davenport, executive director and CEO, San Antonio Stock Show and Rodeo. “Partnering on the Borlaug program is a natural extension of that — it’s exactly the kind of next-generation leadership development our scholarship mission was built to support.”
Annually, around 80 students from across Texas participate in the NBYAP to learn about the needs of urban and rural communities in Texas and the critical role food and fiber play. Throughout the six-month program, youth engage in three in-person sessions and an online learning community every other week.
Participants not only build lasting, monumental connections but also complete projects and develop potential solutions to real issues, including food insecurity and food waste, greenhouse gas emission mitigation, water conservation, food and fiber production challenges, and more.
“Our partnership with Texas 4-H has always been about more than scholarships; it’s about preparing young people to tackle the real challenges in agriculture,” Davenport said. “The Norman Borlaug program carries forward a legacy of feeding the world, and we’re proud to help recruit students into that work.”
Expanding education on agriculture in Bexar County
The expanded partnership builds on the San Antonio Stock Show and Rodeo’s long-standing support of Texas 4-H. Each February, the organization provides educational and competitive opportunities for thousands of 4-H members.
“Educating youth about agriculture is at the core of our mission. The ability to pair our mission with that of the Norman Borlaug Youth in Agriculture program is an incredible opportunity,” said Brian Faris, Ph.D., competitive events director for the San Antonio Stock Show and Rodeo.
“Youth who have their own unique experiences from rural and urban backgrounds will be equipped with the common knowledge pertaining to agriculture that will set the foundation for our society for years to come.”
The first four program cohorts involved rural participants from across Texas and urban youth from Harris County. Participants attend three face-to-face meeting sessions — “Planting Season,” “Growing Season” and “Harvest Season.”
With this gift, NBYAP will expand to include two concurrent cohorts each year, adding opportunities for urban youth in Bexar County while continuing the Harris County cohort.
“The San Antonio Stock Show and Rodeo has been a friend and supporter of Texas 4-H for many years,” said Billy Zanolini, Ph.D., AgriLife Extension specialist and associate professor, Texas 4-H Youth Livestock and Agriculture.
“We are honored to extend their partnership, engagement and commitment through NYBAP to bring value to the youth of Texas.”
