FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CAST Postpones 2025 Borlaug CAST Communication Award and Science Communication Scholarship Ceremonies
Ames, Iowa — November 3, 2025 — The Council for Agricultural Science and Technology (CAST) announced today that the 2025 Borlaug CAST Communication Award (BCCA) ceremony, originally scheduled for December 2, 2025, at Madison Hall in the Library of Congress, Washington, D.C., will be postponed.
This decision is the result of uncertainty related to the continued federal government shutdown, which limits access to federal facilities and affects participation for event attendees. CAST is taking this action to ensure that the event provides the opportunity for full engagement from partners and guests.
CAST is working closely with Dr. David L. Ortega, Professor and Noel W. Stuckman Chair in Food Economics and Policy at Michigan State University and the 2025 BCCA recipient, to identify a new date in early 2026 for the ceremony.
The postponement also affects the CAST Science Communication Scholarship ceremony, originally planned to coincide with the BCCA event. In light of the revised timeline, the application deadline for the scholarship has been extended to November 30, 2025.
“While CAST regrets the need to postpone the event, this decision best allows us to celebrate Dr. Ortega’s achievements and the next generation of science communicators in a manner worthy of their contributions,” said Dr. Christopher Boomsma, CAST Chief Executive Officer. “We appreciate the understanding of our stakeholders as we explore a new date for the event, and we continue to look forward to hosting the event at the Library of Congress.”
Updated event information, including a new date, will be announced as soon as possible upon conclusion of the federal government shutdown.
For additional information, visit www.cast-science.org.
Media Contact:
Carlos Back Vianna
Director of Marketing and Communications
Council for Agricultural Science and Technology (CAST)
Email: cvianna@cast-science.org
Phone: (515) 292-2125
