College students who are enrolled in an agricultural science or food nutrition program can apply for a $1,000 scholarship awarded through the Taylorville Memorial Foundation. The scholarship is called the John H. Butterfield Agriscience and Nutrition Scholarship. This scholarship is awarded to a student who has graduated from a central Illinois high school, with priority given to a Christian County resident, and has completed the first year in an agriscience or food nutrition program at a two or four year college or university.

John H. Butterfield received a degree from the U of Illinois and worked as an appraiser for the Farm Credit Administration before returning to his family farm in 1940 in Christian County.  Butterfield was a strong advocate for soil conservation.  He served on the Soil Conservation Advisory Board, the American Soybean Association, and the National Corn Growers and Feed Grain Council. 

Raedena Ryan, Executive Director of the Taylorville Memorial Foundation, says that The Butterfield family established the scholarship to honor their father’s dedication to agriculture.  She also said that he had a lifelong interest in soil science and plant nutrition that led him around the world to observe and learn about farming practices in other countries. 

The application deadline is April 1st and it’s available on the foundation’s website at memorial.health/tmf. For more information, contact the foundation’s office at 217-707-5271.