By Katie Knapp, ACN board member and international committee chair
The ACN Professional Improvement Foundation is offering six $1,250 stipends to help cover expenses for ACN members to attend the 2026 IFAJ Congress in Croatia. Apply via the form on the ACN website.
Applications are due Friday, May 29. No late submissions will be accepted.
The 2026 IFAJ Congress will be held in and around Osijek, Slavonia and Baranja, Croatia, September 16 – 20, 2026, with pre- and post-tours also offered.
The cost is €1,090 (about $1,280) including lodging. Visit the Congress website for more information on the location and agenda. The registration fee increases on July 1, and registration closes on July 15.
“IFAJ is a very important benefit of ACN membership and is often a springboard into career-long ACN involvement. The PIF board sees a lot of value in having strong U.S. representation at these events,” says Katie Dehlinger, PIF Chair and Progressive Farmer editor-in-chief.
Preference for stipend recipients will go to first-time Congress attendees, but all dues-paying ACN members are encouraged to apply. After attending Congress, each stipend winner is required to write a story about the experience for The Byline. You can search The Byline archive for IFAJ to read about other members’ experiences from previous Congresses.
The International Committee will notify winners by Tuesday, June 9. All stipend winners must accept or decline the stipend by Monday, June 15. Alternates will be selected from submitted applications in the event a stipend winner is unable to attend.
(Note: two additional stipends are given each year, one to the Alltech/IFAJ Young Leader Award nominee and one to the International Committee chair.)
-Knapp is a freelance writer, photographer and owner of The Ag Photographer.