Two Agribusiness Graduate Students Awarded Florida Fertilizer Agrichemical Association Scholarships for Academic Excellence

Two agribusiness graduate students, Naila McCraney and Andrew Miller, each recently received a $2,500 scholarship award for academic excellence, sponsored by the Florida Fertilizer and Agrichemical Association (FFAA) Scholarship.

Both are second-year graduate students with outstanding grade point averages who are working on their master’s theses under the supervision of Agribusiness Assistant Professor Michée A. Lachaud, Ph.D., in the College of Agriculture and Food Sciences (CAFS).

“I am not surprised that Naila and Andrew received this scholarship and will receive more in the future, because they are very smart, exemplary, serious, and hard-working students. It is fun working with them and we are proud of their work,” said Lachaud. 

“Receiving this scholarship is proof of the students developing within the agricultural business program and that we are worth investing in,” said McCraney, who is from Hammond, Louisiana.

She was a U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) 1890 scholar at Southern University, where she earned a Bachelor of Science in Agricultural Sciences with a concentration in Plant and Soil Science. Upon graduation from FAMU, she plans to work within the USDA’s Natural Resource Conservation Service in Texas.

Miller, who is from Santa Cruz, St. Elizabeth, Jamaica, earned his undergraduate degree in Land Economy and Valuation Surveying from the University of Technology in Jamaica, credits the CAFS faculty.

“This is also a testament to the high level of guidance offered by the professors of the CAFS agribusiness program, who are equipping students to strive for success,” said Miller. After graduation, he intends to become more efficient at agricultural appraisals and work closely with the Rural Development Authority (RADA) in Jamaica to assist small, rural farmers.

The mission of the FFAA is to promote the responsible use of plant protection and nutrient products in Florida. From its roots as a research organization, the FFAA has branched out to represent its fertilizer, limestone, crop protection, and Ag biotech member companies professionally in the legislative, regulatory and public opinion arenas. The FFAA also administers the Florida Certified Crop Advisers program to promote professionalism in Florida fields. For more information about FFAA, visit: http://ffaa.org/about/.

For more information about the agribusiness program at Florida A&M University, visit: https://cafs.famu.edu/academic/agribusiness/index.php.