Daniel Pieper, of Hunter Mill Farm in White Hall, donated a $2,500 grant he won to Penn-Mar Human Services in Freeland Tuesday, March 27.
Pieper applied for the grant in December and was informed he was the Baltimore County winner of Monsanto's American Farmers Grow Communities grant program in January.
The national program is sponsored by the Monsanto, an agricultural biotech company headquartered in St. Louis. Farmers who cultivate at least 250 acres and live in any of 1,245 qualified counties across the United States can apply. The counties included in this year's grant process are those in which a minimum of 30,000 acres is devoted to growing corn, soybeans, cotton or vegetables.
William Pence, district sales manager for Monsanto, said 60,000 farmers from 39 states applied for the grants and one winner was chosen from each of the 1,245 counties. Winners were randomly selected by a mechanical pick operated by a third party.
All grant recipients are asked to choose a nonprofit organization located in their county to receive the $2,500 grant.
Pieper chose Penn-Mar, which provides services, housing and support for adults with developmental disabilities.
"I have a family friend who uses Penn-Mar's services and I couldn't think of a better organization to give the money to," Pieper said.
He and his father, Stephen Pieper, own Hunter Mill Farm and grow grow corn, soybeans, wheat, barley and hay on about 2,000 acres.
Pence joined Pieper and several Penn-Mar officers at Penn-Mar on March 27 for the check presentation.
The money will help with the organization's general operating expenses, said Richard Robinson, director of development at Penn-Mar.
The America's Farmers Grow Communities grant program is in its second year.
Last year's Baltimore County winner was Jay McGinnis, of White Hall. He gave his grant to the Baltimore County Center for Maryland Agriculture on Shawan Road.
Pat van den Beemt