Merck Animal Health Donates $50,000 to the National Professional Agricultural Student Organization to Support Its Educational Advancement Program

Inaugural donation will foster agricultural education and leadership opportunities for future industry talent

RAHWAY, N.J., March 24, 2025 – Merck Animal Health, known as MSD Animal Health outside of the United States and Canada, a division of Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, N.J., USA (NYSE:MRK), today announced it will donate $50,000 to the National Professional Agricultural Student Organization (PAS) to support its newly established Educational Advancement Program.

          This contribution marks Merck Animal Health as the inaugural donor for this initiative, which aims to enhance agricultural education, particularly at two-year and community-based college programs that offer educational opportunities in agriculture. These institutions are pivotal in providing practical, hands-on training to equip future agricultural talent with the necessary skills to excel in the industry.

           “At Merck Animal Health, we recognize the importance of educating the next generation of agricultural leaders and supporting the institutions that helped them grow,” said Scott Stehlik, D.V.M., director of swine and poultry technical services for Merck Animal Health. “This investment in the Educational Advancement Program shows our commitment to the agricultural industry and will empower students by providing them with the tools they need to thrive in their careers.”

           “The industry needs a more robust pipeline of talented people to fill roles across the full breadth of agriculture. This initiative will enable institutions to recruit more students while building and expanding their program offerings to meet this industry demand for years to come,” Stehlik added. “We are proud to play a role in shaping the future of the agriculture industry by providing talented students access to the skills and hands-on training they need to be successful.”

          The support from Merck Animal Health will not only help fund grants for these educational institutions but also support student scholarships and leadership opportunities in agriculture. The announcement took place during the 2025 National PAS Conference, which was held in Sheridan, Wyoming, from March 17 to 20, 2025.

          The National Professional Agricultural Student Organization is dedicated to developing two- and four-year college-level professional agriculture students for the workplace. Through participation in employment experience programs, skill-set development, networking opportunities, and organizational activities, PAS equips students with the knowledge and experience necessary to succeed.

           “We are incredibly grateful for Merck Animal Health’s generous contribution, which will significantly enhance our Educational Advancement Program,” said Jennifer Bloss, executive director for PAS. “This support not only helps us provide vital resources for agricultural education, but it also opens doors for students to gain valuable leadership experience. Together, we can cultivate the future of agriculture.”

          Applications for the program will be available on March 24 on the PAS website at nationalpas.org.  

Scott Stehlik, D.V.M., director of swine and poultry technical services for Merck Animal Health, presented a $50,000 donation to Jennifer Bloss, executive director for the National Professional Agricultural Student Organization (PAS), supporting PAS’s new Educational Advancement Program.

About Merck Animal Health

          At Merck, known as MSD outside of the United States and Canada, we are unified around our purpose: We use the power of leading-edge science to save and improve lives around the world. For more than a century, we’ve been at the forefront of research, bringing forward medicines, vaccines and innovative health solutions for the world’s most challenging diseases. Merck Animal Health, a division of Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, N.J., USA, is the global animal health business of Merck. Through its commitment to The Science of Healthier Animals^®, Merck Animal Health offers veterinarians, farmers, producers, pet owners and governments one of the widest ranges of veterinary pharmaceuticals, vaccines and health management solutions and services as well as an extensive suite of connected technology that includes identification, traceability and monitoring products. Merck Animal Health is dedicated to preserving and improving the health, well-being and performance of animals and the people who care for them. It invests extensively in dynamic and comprehensive R&D resources and a modern, global supply chain. Merck Animal Health is present in more than 50 countries, while its products are available in some 150 markets. For more information, visit www.merck-animal-health.com and connect with us on LinkedIn, Facebook, X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram.

Forward-Looking Statement of Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, N.J., USA

          This news release of Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, N.J., USA (the “company”) includes “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the safe harbor provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements are based upon the current beliefs and expectations of the company’s management and are subject to significant risks and uncertainties. If underlying assumptions prove inaccurate or risks or uncertainties materialize, actual results may differ materially from those set forth in the forward-looking statements.

          Risks and uncertainties include but are not limited to, general industry conditions and competition; general economic factors, including interest rate and currency exchange rate fluctuations; the impact of pharmaceutical industry regulation and health care legislation in the United States and internationally; global trends toward health care cost containment; technological advances, new products and patents attained by competitors; challenges inherent in new product development, including obtaining regulatory approval; the company’s ability to accurately predict future market conditions; manufacturing difficulties or delays; financial instability of international economies and sovereign risk; dependence on the effectiveness of the company’s patents and other protections for innovative products; and the exposure to litigation, including patent litigation, and/or regulatory actions.

          The company undertakes no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Additional factors that could cause results to differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements can be found in the company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2024 and the company’s other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) available at the SEC’s Internet site (www.sec.gov).