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Derek Sawyer (standing) helps organize an agricultural literacy activity. 
 
Do You Know an Outstanding Volunteer or Volunteering Program?
If you know of people or organizations that have made exceptional volunteering efforts to educate about agriculture, the Foundation wants to hear about it. Nominate them at www.agfoundation.org, under What We Support-Volunteers.

 

AFBF Young Farmers & Ranchers Committee Volunteers in the New Year! 

   

 

On Friday January 6, 2012 the AFBF Young Farmers & Ranchers Committee took time out of their busy schedules to volunteer at three kindergarten classrooms at Jefferson Elementary in Honolulu, HI.

 

The intention of the volunteering effort was to allow these students to meet real farmers and ranchers from all over the United States.

 

"We wanted to give these students an opportunity to make a connection with the people who provide their food, fiber and renewable fuel while giving back to the community that hosted our Annual Meeting," said Derek Sawyer committee member from Kansas Farm Bureau who helped coordinate the volunteering effort.

 

The AFBF Young Farmers & Ranchers Committee also helped test pilot new curriculum which will accompany the Foundation's PreK-K Accurate Ag Book - Farm Animals by Bobbie Kalman.

 

 

During their visit, the Committee read the book Farm Animals to the students then led them in several engaging agricultural literacy activities. First they helped students identify common farm animals with photos and brainstormed on what each animal provides for us. Then they explored several activities that demonstrate what farmers and ranchers do each day to care for their animals including: providing food, water, shelter, clean air and taking care of the animal's health.  Each activity was designed to help reinforce key developmental indicators for the Kindergarten classroom such as reading, sequencing, counting and recognizing the characteristics of living things.

 

The Young Farmers & Ranchers Committee was a great group to cover these topics with the students. They could explain how they care for their own farms and that they enjoy their jobs and truly care for the animals they raise.

 

The day ended with a fun song that helped students review about how we care for animals every day in many different ways.

 

The students really enjoyed the Young Farmers & Ranchers Committee visit and now have a better understanding of where their food really comes from and who it comes from.

 

Thank you to the AFBF Young Farmers & Ranchers Committee for being an outstanding example of volunteers educating about agriculture! If you know an outstanding volunteer we want to celebrate them! Email us their story and photos and we may recognize them in an Enewsletter, on Facebook and feature them on our website.