Golden Owl Award®

Honoring outstanding agricultural educators in California, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, New York, Ohio and Pennsylvania

Showing support for the greater agricultural community

As the No. 1 farm insurer,1 Nationwide® is proud of its agricultural heritage and long-standing support of the greater agricultural community, including the National FFA Organization and FFA chapters across the country. The Golden Owl Award® allows us to also extend our support to agricultural educators who devote countless hours, and often their own resources, to positively impact the lives of their students.

With the Golden Owl Award, students, fellow teachers and other supporters in California, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, New York, Ohio and Pennsylvania can nominate their favorite agricultural teacher and summarize what makes him or her the best in their state.

Nominate an outstanding ag teacher today

August 1 through December 31, 2021*, go to your state’s FFA website to nominate an outstanding agricultural educator.

Nominees can win the distinction of being their state’s Agricultural Educator of the Year and the following prizes


  • $500 and an engraved plaque for each honoree2
  • $3,000 and the coveted Golden Owl Award trophy to each state’s grand prize winner2 (Agricultural Educator of the Year)

In conjunction with the Golden Owl Award, Nationwide is donating $5,000 to each participating state’s FFA to further support the personal and professional growth of students, teachers and advisors alike.

Our partners

The Golden Owl Award is the result of a partnership between Nationwide, the California FFA, California Farm Bureau, Illinois FFA, Illinois Association of Vocational Agriculture Teachers, Farm Credit Illinois, Indiana FFA, Farm Credit Mid-America, the Iowa FFA Foundation, New York FFA, New York Farm Bureau, Ohio FFA, Ohio Farm Bureau, Pennsylvania FFA, Pennsylvania Farm Bureau and Compeer Financial.

See past Golden Owl Award winners and honorees.

1Source: A.M Best Market Share Report 2020.

2In accordance with Ohio law, cash prizes in Ohio are awarded to the winners’ school ag programs.

* Iowa Golden Owl Award nomination period is Aug. 1 – Dec. 1, 2021. Indiana Golden Owl Award nomination period is Sept. 1 – Dec. 31, 2021. New York Golden Owl Award nomination period is Aug. 1 – Nov. 1, 2021.

The FFA emblem is a service mark of the National FFA Organization and is used with permission. All rights reserved.