Robbins: November 15 Deadline to Apply for Agriculture Education Loan Forgiveness

Harrisburg – State Senator Bob Robbins (R-50) is urging local residents to look into a financial aid program designed to increase the number of Pennsylvanians studying agriculture.

Robbins said the deadline to complete applications for the Agriculture Education Loan Forgiveness program is November 15.

The Agriculture Education Loan Forgiveness Program is a federally-insured student loan program that forgives qualifying agriculture and veterinary graduates up to $2,000 per year on loans administered by the Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency. PHEAA set a $10,000 lifetime maximum in loan forgiveness payments for the program.

"Farming has long been a proud tradition in Northwest Pennsylvania and across the Commonwealth," said Robbins, a member of the Senate Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee. "By helping young citizens study agriculture we can ensure that this tradition remains strong."

Veterinary graduates and agriculture graduates must complete separate applications and must possess some specific requirements concerning their education and employment status.

Robbins said both veterinary graduates and agriculture graduates must possess a degree presented by a Pennsylvania school or college. Veterinary graduates must be certified by the U.S. Department of Agriculture to sign health certificates required for the interstate commerce of agriculture animals and animal products, and they must be qualified to certify certain regulatory tests of agricultural animals.

To fulfill requirements for an agriculture graduate, the graduate must be a full-time employee of a family farm or farm corporation owned by members of the immediate family. The farm must be used for the production of agricultural products for commercial purposes, and these farms must devote 75 percent or more of all assets to the business of agriculture.

More information applications can be found online at http://www.pheaa.org/loanforgiveness/. Applications may also be obtained by calling (717) 720-2800.

CONTACT: Mike Hengst (717) 787-1322