The Veteran Farmer Award of Excellence recognizes veterans who have served or are currently serving in any branch of the United States Military and are actively involved in agriculture and their community. Applications will be evaluated based on excellence in farming and community impact. This program seeks to elevate and celebrate those who have served our country and continue to do so through involvement in agriculture and the community. 

The recipient of the award will receive $10,000 plus reimbursement of up to $5,000 in travel and other expenses incurred for the recipient and their guest to attend the American Farm Bureau Federation Convention to be held in Anaheim, California, on January 9-14, 2026.

AFBF will not accept submissions by email. All applications must be submitted via the Submittable platform. The platform does not allow for word count but limits the number of characters. If you have questions, please contact logany@fb.org.

Online applications must be submitted via the online portal on or before 5:00 p.m. ET September 2, 2025.

Important:

• You will need to create a free Submittable account in order to submit to these forms. 
• You  can save a draft of your work if you would like to finish filling out  the form at a later date. Keep in mind that for consideration, you MUST  complete the nomination by clicking SUBMIT at the very end of the form.
• We  will follow-up with you about your submission by email. This follow-up  email will come from Submittable. Please be sure the email address you  used to sign up for your Submittable account is one that you check  regularly. IMPORTANT - also check your junk email folder for emails from  Submittable. 

Welcome to the 2026 Farm Dog of the Year® contest. American Farm Bureau® and Nestle Purina PetCare Company are looking for the best farm dog in the country! Desired attributes in the Farm Bureau Farm Dog of the Year® include helpfulness to the farmer and his/her family, playfulness and obedience.   

The grand prize winner – Farm Bureau Farm Dog of the Year – will win a year’s worth of Purina Pro Plan dry dog food and $5,000 in prize money. The winner will be recognized at a Farm Dog of the Year award ceremony at the AFBF Convention in January 2026. A People's Choice Pup winner, chosen by public vote, will win $2,500 in prize money and also be recognized at the AFBF Convention in January 2026.

To apply for the 2026 Farm Dog of the Year contest, complete the nomination form below. Entries will close on July 11, 2025, at 10:59 pm CST.

Be prepared to provide written responses to the questions below about your farm dog: 

 · How does your farm dog support you, the farmer, in doing your job? Examples could include but are not limited to: rounding up livestock, chasing off predators, opening gates, fetching or carrying tools/buckets, greeting visitors and predator control.

· On a personal level, how does your dog enrich your life and that of your family? You may also describe the bond between the farm dog and his or her “person.”

· What non-farm-work activities do you and your dog do together for recreation?

· Describe your commitment to responsible dog ownership (safety practices, current vaccinations, proper nutrition and care, etc.).

· List awards your dog has received, special skills your dog has, or tricks he/she can perform.

In addition, we strongly encourage submission of at least one photo of the nominated dog for consideration (a picture is worth 1,000 words). Submission of a video clip is also optional, but highly encouraged.                          

VERY IMPORTANT

For consideration, you MUST complete the nomination by clicking SUBMIT at the very end of the form.

We will follow-up with you about your submission by email. This follow-up email will come from Submittable. Please be sure the email address you used to sign up for your Submittable account is one that you check regularly. Also check your junk email folder for emails from Submittable.