Thank You for Supporting Ag Literacy!  
 
  
Because of you, nearly 2,000 1st through 5th graders in Franklin County, VA, know a lot more about the foods that grow right in their own county.

Meet the students and teachers of Callaway Elementary. Yesterday they didn't know much about farming in their county, but today they know all about the agriculture that surrounds them and it is all thanks to you. Your donations funded a White-Reinhardt mini-grant for Franklin County Farm Bureau, which allowed the organization to reach students during their Franklin County Agricultural Fair.

Franklin County Farm Bureau said:"We found it interesting that teachers didn't know that we had a shrimp farm in our county. That was the most surprising fact that we got to share with the students/teachers. The commodities that the students enjoyed seeing, touching and smelling the most were the grain commodities. We even had silage! They thought that was stinky and couldn't believe that cows loved it and it was like their salad. We also showed a county map that we produced with all the commodities pictured on it. This way they could see how many commodities Franklin County produces and where in the county things are located."

Read more...


Biased Literature could Create Biased Consumers 
 
The bell rings and students file in to their desks. Cell phones are turned off (for the most part) and tucked away. Students prepare for a day of learning. The teacher explains to her students that they are going to be learning about where their food comes from, an exciting and thought provoking topic. Then she hands out a copy of "Omnivore's Dilemma."

If you are familiar with the book, you know that the statements inside are biased, with agriculture's side of the story remaining untold. While it seems as if this would be a worst case scenario for agricultural education, the truth is that it's happening. The New York State Education Department has approved "Omnivore's Dilemma" to be part of the integrated curriculum in the state. Read more...


   

As a fifth-generation farmer, Terry McClure knows first-hand how important it is to engage consumers and energize the next generation of farmers and ranchers. McClure runs his family farm along with his father and son in northwestern Ohio, where they raise hogs and grow soybeans, corn and wheat.

McClure is enthusiastic about the work the American Farm Bureau Foundation for Agriculture is doing to connect farmers and consumers. A former Ohio Farm Bureau president, McClure serves on the board of the Foundation and is a member of the board of directors for Nationwide Insurance. He is also a former board member of the Farm Bureau Bank and the American Farm Bureau Federation. 
According to McClure, the Foundation's work developing K-12 education programs and the interactive games on My American Farm are essential for giving kids and their parents an understanding of what's happening on the farm and why farmers do what they do.

"The further the average citizen gets from their farm roots, the harder it is for them to understand the important work we're doing here," McClure said. Read more. . . 



 
The American Farm Bureau Foundation for Agriculture developed the Pillars of Ag Literacy to help educators and education systems design curriculum and programs that would lead to agriculturally literate citizens.

In Minnesota, the 4-H Science of Agriculture Challenge is using the Pillars to help steer students in the right direction. We interviewed Joshua Rice, assistant Extension professor, about this project:

Can you tell us about the Challenge?

In this challenge, youth explore and develop science-based solutions to agriculture-related issues they have identified in their communities. Youth teams work with local agriculture partners (mentors) to explore issues and find solutions to agricultural challenges. 4-H youth work on teams of 3-4 in grades 6-12 from October until June when they come to the state competition on the University of Minnesota's St. Paul campus.

The teams take their research and information gathered and give a 20-minute demonstration, followed by 10 minutes of questioning from a panel of industry experts, all while competing for college scholarships. Scholarship prizes range from $1,000 for first place, $750 for second and $500 for third.

There are four primary goals of the Science of Agriculture Challenge: Read more...
 

   
 
I don't know about you, but I love food!  I love shopping for it, preparing it and most of all eating wonderful food.  There is a "foodie" movement right now, driven by consumers who have a strong desire to connect with where their food comes from and the men and women who grow it. This is good news for us in agriculture because the Foundation strives to increase knowledge about our food, fiber and energy systems through agricultural literacy. Reaching out to students and teachers is one of the best ways we can improve ag literacy. Unfortunately, not every student has a connection to agriculture; some students are lucky to go outside at all during the day, let alone visit a farm or ranch. That is why it is crucial to introduce them to agriculture in school.
 
 

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