Lely North America Announces the 2026 Future of Dairy Scholarship

Lely North America is pleased to offer aspiring dairy industry leaders the opportunity to apply for the Lely Future of Dairy Scholarship.

“The future of dairy depends on developing a strong pipeline of skilled professionals,” said Xavier Drake, Strategic Marketing Manager at Lely North America. “Since launching in 2016, the Lely North America Future of Dairy Scholarship Program has awarded more than $40,000 in financial support to students pursuing careers in the dairy industry.”

In 2026, Lely will award four, one-time/non-renewable $500 scholarships for high school students to attend college, and two, one-time/non-renewable $1,500 scholarships to deserving, qualified college students who are legal residents of the United States or Canada.

To apply for the scholarship, students must be enrolled or planning to enroll at an accredited institution of higher education for the 2026-2027 academic year and participate in a program that can equip them to contribute to the dairy industry. The specific requirements for each scholarship are listed below.

• Four (4) $500 High-School Scholarships: These scholarships are open to students planning to pursue an agriculture-related degree at an accredited two- or four-year college during the 2026-2027 academic year.
• One (1) $1,500 Dairy Technology Scholarship: This scholarship is open to students pursuing degrees in robotics, automation, and/or precision agriculture who have a passion and desire to work in the dairy industry. The student must have at least freshman college status at the time of application.
• One (1) $1,500 Dairy Industry Scholarship: This scholarship is open to students pursuing an agriculture degree who want to work in the dairy industry. The student must have at least freshman college status at the time of application.
• Resume: 1-to-2-page resume depicting previous leadership, organizational involvement and/or work experiences.
• Essay: See details in the chart below.
• Letter of Recommendation (required for Dairy Technology and Dairy Industry Scholarships only): Written by an advisor, employer, 4H leader, etc.

Requirements include the following:

Interested applicants can find complete, official rules and apply online by visiting the Lely submission webpage. Submissions will be accepted from March 2, 2026, until April 21, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. CT. Winners will be announced the week of May 4, 2026.

We invite you to learn more about Lely dairy industry innovations on Lely’s website, www.lelyna.com. Also, follow us on Facebook (@LelyNorthAmerica), Instagram (@dairyrobot) and Twitter (@DairyRobot). To watch videos featuring Lely’s products, visit our YouTube channel.

About Lely North America

Lely North America, based in Pella, Iowa, is part of the Lely Group, founded in 1948. Lely directs all effort toward creating a sustainable, profitable and enjoyable future in farming for its customers. Using the cow as a center point, the company develops premium robotics and data systems that increase and improve animal welfare, flexibility and production on dairy farms.

For more than 30 years, Lely has been the leader in the sales and service of automated milking systems to successive generations of dairy farmers across the globe. Every day, Lely inspires its employees to offer customers innovative solutions and be reliable partners for long-term advice and support. With its head office in The Netherlands and a worldwide network of dedicated Lely Center locations for tailor-made sales and support, the Lely Group is active in more than 40 countries and employs more than 2,500 people. 

For more information, please contact Conner Goldsmith, Marketing Automation Specialist at Lely North America: cgoldsmith@lely.com, 502-616-5765.