(AP) — The Nebraska Farm Bureau has announced a new scholarship and loan assistance program to help schools find enough agriculture educators.

The scholarships will be available to students in the University of Nebraska-Lincoln’s agriculture education program. It will pay $1,200 during a semester of student teaching.

The loan assistance program is for educators with student loans. Those accepted will get help over five years, starting at $500 and increasing each year.

Matt Kreifels with the Nebraska Education Department said on Thursday that enrollment in state high school ag programs is the highest it’s been since the 1950s. But he says that within the past four years, 10 schools had to delay plans to start ag programs because they couldn’t find qualified teachers.