PRAIRIE DU SAC, Wis. — There are already 649,355 reasons to celebrate National FFA Week, but Culver’s is adding one more.

On Feb. 20, Culver’s will kick off its third annual FFA Essay Contest to award three winners the funds to send their FFA chapters to the National FFA Convention & Expo in Indianapolis, Oct. 25-28.

The essay contest asks FFA members to submit essays in response to the following questions: As a future ag leader, what do you want people to know about the agricultural industry? How will you help to educate them on this subject?

Culver’s will award prizes for the top three essays, providing winners with $7,500, $5,000 and $2,500 respectively. To submit their essays, FFA members should visit Culvers.com/essaycontest. The contest ends March 31, at 5 p.m. CST.

“We’re excited to continue to hear firsthand from such passionate and knowledgeable students about the topics that are important to them,” said Jessie Corning, senior marketing manager of Culver’s. “With the FFA Essay Contest, more FFA members have a chance to attend the convention and immerse themselves in the agricultural community.”

Culver’s essay contest is part of the restaurant’s Thank You Farmers program, which recognizes the work of the nation’s farmers and helps ensure the future of the next generation of agricultural leaders. To date, the Thank You Farmers initiative has raised over $1 million in support of the National FFA Organization and Foundation, local FFA chapters and a variety of local agricultural organizations.