Agricultural education: In the classroom, at home and on the farm

As a father and now a grandfather, one of the most bittersweet moments is watching your kids and grandkids climb onto the bus for the first day of school each year.

While it’s easy to feel a bit sad that time is moving too fast, there is a swell of excitement for all they’ll embark on in the new school year.

The start of a new school year is also a prime opportunity to sow the seed of agricultural education for the coming school year. These seeds will help our students grow a deeper understanding of and appreciation for the role agriculture plays in our lives.

As generations become further removed from the farm, the gap between agriculture and consumers widens. That’s why agricultural education is so critical — it bridges that gap and shows our next generation everything agriculture has to offer.

At Farm Bureau, we’re already working to fill this gap head-on through the American Farm Bureau Foundation for Agriculture.

Our foundation is continually working to raise awareness and understanding of agriculture by providing resources for educators, tools for parents to use at home and opportunities for Farm Bureau members to volunteer in their local schools.

For educators and volunteers, the foundation offers a wide array of resources designed to bring agriculture into the classroom in meaningful and engaging ways.

On the foundation’s website — www.agfoundation.org — you’ll find lesson plans, games, activities and videos, all crafted to be accessible and applicable for a variety of grades and class sizes.

Each resource is thoroughly researched, written by education specialists and reviewed by subject matter experts, so teachers can feel confident in their accuracy.

There are also scholarships and training programs such as On the Farm STEM training to help educators feel more equipped in their mission of agricultural education.

For parents, the foundation provides numerous resources to help teach kids more about agriculture at home. A great way for parents and kids to learn together is with ag-accurate children’s books, published through the Foundation’s Feeding Minds Press.

These books help share the world of farming in fun and unique ways, so whether you’re reading about “Chuck’s Ice Cream Wish” or learning about “The Soil in Jackie’s Garden,” you can help your kids develop a stronger love for reading and a deeper understanding of agriculture.

Also, Sept. 6 is National Read a Book Day, which is the perfect time to explore what Feeding Minds Press has available. Maybe your family will even end up starting a new tradition around it.

For Farm Bureau members who are looking for a way to give back, there are numerous opportunities to promote agricultural education in your community.

A great way to start is by reaching out to your county or state Farm Bureau to see what opportunities may already be available. And if there aren’t any, I encourage you to start something new.

Consider volunteering to do an accurate ag book reading at your local elementary school or library, organizing a farm tour or even setting up a booth at the county fair or another community event to talk about agriculture.

Another simple way to start is by donating books and resources to support local teachers or sending a message to your local library requesting Feeding Mind Press books.

The foundation relies on generous supporters like you. And if you are looking for another meaningful way to contribute, then I also invite you to consider making a donation to continue our excellent ag literacy work.

Whatever way you choose to volunteer or donate, know that your efforts are truly making a difference to our young folks.

On behalf of the foundation board and staff, I want to say thank you to the thousands of volunteers and donors across the country working with us to advance agricultural education.

As we enter this new school year, let’s remember that the future of agriculture depends on today’s students. Farm Bureau and our foundation are committed to this mission, but it takes a collective effort to ensure that agricultural education remains a priority in our school and community.

Whether you’re an educator, a parent or a Farm Bureau member looking to give back, there’s a role for you to play.

Let’s take this “back-to-school” season as an opportunity to inspire young minds and work towards ensuring the legacy of agriculture is instilled in our next generation.