Kendall Rae Johnson, The Youngest USDA-Certified Farmer In The US, Earns Scholarship To South Carolina State University

Georgia’s Kendall Rae Johnson, 10, is the the youngest USDA-certified farmer in the U.S, according to reports. Now, she’s earned a full-ride scholarship to a Historically Black College and University (HBCU).

She recently went on a national college tour with the U.S. Department of Agriculture and Virginia State University, per Primetimer, where she explored South Carolina State University’s (SCSU) research farms, academic programs, and participated in a hands-on Lego robotics workshop. Then, on July 29, 2025, SCSU announced Kendall Rae had received an $83,500 scholarship covering tuition, fees, and housing.

“We were genuinely inspired by Kendall Rae’s focus and maturity,” said SCSU President Alexander Conyers. “It’s not every day you meet a 10-year-old who talks about microorganisms, crop counts, and longhorn cattle. She’s remarkable.”

Kendall Rae is the driving force behind aGROWKulture, a farm founded in May 2020 in the heart of Atlanta. It serves as a hub for growing fresh produce — including peaches, strawberries, beets, and carrots — and provides educational experiences for all ages, according to its website.

She also leads Kendall Rae’s Green Heart, a nonprofit that aims to empower “youth with STEAM skills and prepare them to become future leaders in agriculture, cultivating a pipeline of diverse ambassadors for agriculture for agriculture and entrepreneurship industries,” its website states.

Johnson’s passion for agriculture began in 2018, when she was three years old, aGROWKulture states. Guided by her father, Quentin Johnson, and inspired by the legacy of her great-grandmother, Laura “Kate” Williams, Kendall Rae immersed herself in a culinary and agricultural journey that changed her life.

Her passion and dedication led the state of Georgia to officially declare March 23 as “Kendall Rae Johnson Day” in 2023, aGROWKulture also states.

“I like helping the community out with fresh fruits and vegetables,” Kendall Rae said, per SCSU. “I also like to travel and learn different farming techniques and how other people do it.”

While awaiting her college journey, Kendall Rae continues homeschooling with her father as her primary teacher.

She told SCSU she enjoys math, which helps her track crops. The farmer also enjoys science, which deepens her understanding of soil biology and how microorganisms impact plant health — knowledge she finds invaluable for managing her farm.

“Kendall Rae is driven, focused, and passionate about making a difference,” Conyers added, per SCSU. “She represents the type of leader South Carolina State is proud to invest in — and we’ll be ready when she is.”