CHICO, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

announced a donation of $30,000 to the Tulare County Foundation for Ag Education and Youth in support of the “Sow the Seeds” Scholarship Program.

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Tri Counties Bank presents Tulare County Ag Foundation with a $30,000 donation for the “Sow the Seeds” Scholarship Program. Pictured from left to right: Scott Woodard, Foundation Board Member; Geneva Shannon-Orlopp, Foundation Board Member; Kerissa Chapman, Foundation Board Member; Adam Goltz, Foundation Board Member; Rose Pereirra, Community Development Officer for Tri Counties Bank; Anneke De Boer, Foundation Board Secretary; Stacy Coelho, Foundation Board Member; Josh Cox, Foundation Board Vice President; Lari Dawn Lawrence, Foundation Board Member; Allie Cardoza, Foundation Foard Member; Kim Pitigliano, Foundation Board Member; Brett Lew, Tri Counties Bank Commercial Regional Manager and Foundation Board President; and David Rocha, Foundation Board Treasurer. (Photo: Business Wire)

The "Sow the Seeds" Scholarship Program supports low-income high school students in Tulare County who are interested in joining Future Farmers of America (FFA). The program awards start-up funds for the student’s first small market livestock or ag mechanics project. FFA programs help students learn leadership and career skills through local and state competitions, agribusiness education, and public speaking.

“Tri Counties Bank believes in investing in our students, who will, in turn, strengthen and lead our communities,” said Brett Lew, Senior Vice President and Commercial Lending Regional Manager for Tri Counties Bank. “Youth involved in FFA learn key life skills that will lead them to succeed later in life.”

To qualify for the “Sow the Seeds” Scholarship Program, students must:

• Be a Tulare County high school student and FFA Chapter Member.
• Include a recommendation letter by an FFA Advisor in their scholarship application.
• Either be designing an ag mechanic project or showing a small market livestock project for the first time, and may not be pursuing another livestock or ag mechanic project at the same time.
  • Projects must be for the for 2024 Porterville Fair or 2024 Tulare County Fair.
• Give a short presentation (if selected), including their planned budget for their project.

“Our objective for the “Sow the Seeds” Scholarship Program is to ensure that students are not deterred from pursuing their first FFA project for financial reasons,” said David Rocha, Board Treasurer for the Tulare County Foundation for Ag Education and Youth. “It is designed to provide more students with a deeper knowledge of agriculture.”

Applications for 2024 Porterville Fair and 2024 Tulare County Fair exhibitors are currently open. Interested students can apply today for the “Sow the Seeds” Scholarship Program at .

About Tri Counties Bank

Established in 1975, Tri Counties Bank is a wholly-owned subsidiary of TriCo Bancshares (NASDAQ: TCBK) headquartered in Chico, California, with assets of almost $10 billion and nearly 50 years of financial stability. Tri Counties Bank provides a unique brand of Service With Solutions® for communities throughout California with a breadth of personal, small business and commercial banking services, plus an extensive branch network, access to approximately 40,000 surcharge-free ATMs nationwide, and advanced mobile and online banking. Tri Counties Bank participates in the Cities for Financial Empowerment (CFE) Fund’s BankOn program that seeks to ensure that everyone has access to safe and affordable financial products and services. Visit to learn more. Member FDIC.

About Tulare County Foundation for Ag Education and Youth

Tulare County Foundation for Ag Education and Youth celebrates the heritage of agriculture through the bounty of the county and works to ensure a legacy of agricultural literacy. Tulare County Foundation for Ag Education and Youth is a voluntary non-profit organization consisting of individuals who are united for the purpose of economically supporting the youth of Tulare County in their pursuit of greater agricultural education. Visit to learn more.

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