The American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF), in partnership with Farm Credit, is seeking entrepreneurs to apply for the 2026 Farm Bureau Ag Innovation Challenge. This national business competition showcases U.S. startup companies developing innovative solutions to challenges faced by America’s farmers, ranchers and rural communities.
Applications must be received by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time on June 9. Access the application and detailed eligibility guidelines here.
The overall winner of the competition will receive $100,000 in startup funds. The runner-up will be awarded $25,000. Two additional business owners who advance to the final-four round will receive $10,000 each.
“This competition supports incredible entrepreneurs who are making sure agriculture is ready to meet the challenges of tomorrow,” said AFBF President Zippy Duvall. “If you have a vision for how your business can drive agriculture forward, apply today.”
After the application period closes, 10 semi-finalist teams will be selected and announced on Aug. 4. Next, the 10 semi-finalist teams will pitch virtually to compete for a spot in the final-four round of the contest.
The final four teams will participate in a live pitch competition. The competition will be held in front of Farm Bureau members, investors and industry representatives at the AFBF Convention in January 2026 in Anaheim, California.
Sponsors of the challenge include Farm Credit, Bayer Crop Science, John Deere, Farm Bureau Bank, Farm Bureau Financial Services and T-Mobile.
Recent winners of the Ag Innovation Challenge include:
- Gripp, which offers farmers an operator-centric way to keep records of assets in combination with communication tools to keep everyone connected (2025 winner)
- Barn Owl Precision Agriculture, a company that manufactures a fully autonomous robot that supports farmers as they plant crops, control weeds and collect soil samples (2024 winner).
Challenge contestants must be members of a county or parish Farm Bureau within their state of residence to qualify as top 10 semi-finalists. Entrepreneurs who are not Farm Bureau members can learn about becoming members here.
Source: AFBF
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