Ten cereals growers each directed a $5,000 donation to a nonprofit charity of their choice as part of the Bayer Cereal Experts Grain for Good Sweepstakes earlier this year. The $50,000 in donations will help provide materials, grants, scholarships and resources for local organizations. Winning growers and their selected organizations include:

• Doug McIntosh, Lewiston, Idaho: Twin County United Way
• John Thelander, Salina, Kansas: The Local Food Works Foundation
• Doug Kettner, Mahnomen, Minnesota: Haley’s Hope
• Dean Nelson, Homestead, Montana: Froid Scholarship Tournament
• Terry Sorensen, Minden, Nebraska: Be the Gift
• Palmer Lindaulf, Benedict, North Dakota: Max North Dakota Public School Greenhouse Project
• Julie Schoeler, Courtenay, North Dakota: Courtenay Rural Fire Department
• Karen Thomas, Velva, North Dakota: Velva High School Ag Department
• Stan Stein, Wahpeton, North Dakota: Cares for Cancer, Hankison Chapter
• Joseph Young, Medical Lake, Washington: Davenport 4-H Club

“When I saw the opportunity from Bayer to potentially receive $5,000 for my local community, I said to my husband, let’s go for it,” said Karen Thomas, a wheat grower from Velva, North Dakota. “We have two boys in high school and both are planning on furthering their education at North Dakota State University in agriculture and returning to the farm. The Velva Ag Department has provided excellent education and we hope the $5,000 will be used to enhance the tools and equipment to increase the opportunities for students interested in agriculture.”

Christine Fannik, head of the Velva Ag department, said this donation will be used to update and improve many aspects of the Velva High School Ag Education program, both in the shop and for materials within the classroom.

“What makes the Grain for Good program such a great fit for cereals growers is that they’re able to give back to the communities in which they live and work,” said Carter Medalen, Bayer senior technical sales representative. “These communities support the cereals growers and it’s great to see the donations helping the communities.”

To enter in the sweepstakes, entrants had to grow 250+ acres of cereal crops in eligible states. No purchase was necessary, and entries were limited to one per person. Winners were selected randomly by a third party.

The Bayer Cereal Experts are excited to see all the ways the donations will help communities. Learn more about the Cereal Experts and the innovative Bayer cereals portfolio at CerealExperts.com