FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – The Department of Crop, Soil and Environmental Sciences in the Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences at the University of Arkansas collected more than $22,800 for scholarships at its 18th Annual Delta Scholarship Golf Classic this summer.

The tournament, run each year by crop science alumni and friends, was July 14 at The Ridges at Village Creek at Village Creek State Park in Wynne. Since 2000, the tournament has resulted in more than $400,000 used to fund 151 scholarships while building an endowment for future scholarships.

"It's always good to see the ag industry from Arkansas come together and support such a good cause," said Darrin Malone, tournament director and field development technical consultant with DuPont Crop Protection. "It's gratifying for our crop, soil and environmental science alumni and friends to help support students in their current studies and hopefully make a difference in their future career. We look forward to carrying on the tradition in 2018 for the 19th Delta Scholarship Golf Classic."

Students selected for 2017-18 Delta Classic Scholarships are Bairek Bush of Fisher, Bodie Cotter of Henderson, Paige Hill of DeWitt, William Johnson of Wyandotte, Oklahoma, Jessie Keaton of Jerusalem, Jose Nunez of Manor, Texas, Wyatt Rongey of Booneville and Adam Whitfield of Little Rock.

The James L. Barrentine Endowed Scholarship was awarded to Evan Buckner of Pine Bluff. Barrentine, a former Crop, Soil and Environmental Sciences department head, organized CSES alumni and friends who initiated the benefit golf tournament to support scholarships prior to his retirement in 2006.

"This year's tournament was a big success in terms of raising money for scholarships as well as a fun golfing event," said Robert Bacon, CSES department head. "It is great to see members of numerous ag-related industries come out to support this effort. We are extremely grateful to our alumni and friends for their hard work to make it happen."

Tournament winners were the Cache River Valley Seed team of Adam Compton of North Little Rock, Bradley Benton of Brinkley, and Tripp Morgan and Grant Carter of Stuttgart; the Ag Heritage Farm Credit Services team of Josh Cunningham, Chad Gentry and Chad Nisbett of Lonoke, and Griffin Golleher of Carlisle in Flight 1; and the RiceTec team of Whitney Jones of Carlisle, Stewart Warner of West Memphis, Dillon Smith of Jonesboro and Jay Burchfield of Cleveland, Mississippi, in Flight 2.

Corporate sponsors included Bayer CropScience, Del Monte Foods, DuPont Pioneer and Farm Bureau of Arkansas.

DuPont Pioneer donated $3,240 as part of its sponsorship program. DuPont Pioneer makes contributions to community-based organizations on behalf of the business and employees. Consideration for outreach grants is given to communities where sales representatives and company employees and customers live and work, and support quality-of-life initiatives to create an improved, sustainable lifestyle for people worldwide. Bayer CropScience and Del Monte donated $3,000, and Farm Bureau provided golf balls, golf towels, tees and bags.

Hole sponsors were Ag Heritage Farm Credit Services, Dr. Jim Barrentine, Producers Rice Mill, RiceCo, Riceland Foods, Syngenta & NK Seeds, U of A Crop, Soil, & Environmental Sciences, U of A Rice Agronomy and U of A Weed Science.        

Team sponsors included Adams Fertilizer Equipment, Ag Council of Arkansas, Alice-Sydney Dryer & Seed Co., Armor Seed, Cache River Valley Seed, Crop Production Services (Bernie, Mo.), DuPont Crop Protection, Farm Credit Midsouth, Gowan USA, Helena Chemical Co., Hickory Hill Pharmacy, Mid-South Ag Consultants, Mid South Ag Equipment, Progeny Ag Products, RiceTec, Southern Ag Resources, Southern Bancorp, Stanley & Co. and Wingtip Gear.

About the Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences: Bumpers College provides life-changing opportunities to position and prepare graduates who will be leaders in the businesses associated with foods, family, the environment, agriculture, sustainability and human quality of life; and who will be first-choice candidates of employers looking for leaders, innovators, policy makers and entrepreneurs. The college is named for Dale Bumpers, former Arkansas governor and longtime U.S. senator who made the state prominent in national and international agriculture.

About the University of Arkansas: The University of Arkansas provides an internationally competitive education for undergraduate and graduate students in more than 200 academic programs. The university contributes new knowledge, economic development, basic and applied research, and creative activity while also providing service to academic and professional disciplines. The Carnegie Foundation classifies the University of Arkansas among only 2 percent of universities in America that have the highest level of research activity. U.S. News & World Report ranks the University of Arkansas among its top American public research universities. Founded in 1871, the University of Arkansas comprises 10 colleges and schools and maintains a low student-to-faculty ratio that promotes personal attention and close mentoring.