Digging Deeper...

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Multiple challenges face U.S. schools and school boards around the country. Technology-adaptation, teacher salaries, operating budgets rank high among concerned educators, parents, taxpayers, culture warriors and marginalized groups. But as November’s observation of American Education Month and American Education Week (November 13-17) draws to a close, it is encouraging to see that one curriculum initiative in particular is gaining traction and picking up momentum:  Early ag education.
By Dennis McLaughlin, McLaughlin Writers LLC – Sources: Agriculture Education – Kansas State Department of Education; National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA); Kansas Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom (KFAC); Agriculture Education on the Move™ (AEOTM); Missouri Farmers Care,

Ag Education On the Move in Elementary Schools

Agriculture had been a mainstay subject in America’s educational system for decades. The Morrill Act of 1862 made way for the formalization of college curricula that would help the U.S. become the giant it is in crop science and animal health. The 1917 Smith Hughes Act provided federal aid to states to develop pre-collegiate vocational education in agricultural and associated industrial trades and home economics. The continuing accomplishments and character of FFA alums are testament to the effectiveness to these early curricula.

Up until the 1920s when most Americans lived on farms or in small towns, school books were full of agricultural references. Farming and farm animals were a familiar part of nearly every child's life. However, when the farm population began to shrink during the 1920-1940s, emphasis on ag education waned. Educators focused on agriculture as an occupational specialty, rather than an integral part of every student's life. Agriculture education was mainly offered to those few students wanting to make a career of agriculture.

Nevertheless, during this period, a small nucleus of educators and others persistently pushed for more agriculture in education. They recognized the interlocking role of farming, food, and fiber production with environmental quality topics like maintaining a clean water supply and preserving and improving forests and wildlife habitat. They kept education in agriculture and the environment alive during a period when overall public interest was decreasing.

In the 1960s and 1970s, these educators realized the need for quality materials. Many excellent films, books, and classroom aids were financed and produced by businesses, foundations, nonprofit groups, and associations, as well as state and federal agencies. There was, however, little coordination of effort or exchange of ideas among the groups. And no central point for national coordination.

In 1981, USDA invited representatives from agricultural groups and educators around the country to meet in the Capitol to discuss agricultural literacy. A national task force was selected to coordinate with USDA to help states launch their own programs. This initiative became known as Agriculture in the Classroom (AITC).

AITC is managed by USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA), which is headquartered here in Kansas City, MO. It serves nearly 5 million students and 60,000 teachers annually through workshops, conferences, field trips, farm tours, and other educational activities. AITC programs address a variety of issues and ag industry concerns, including: 

  • Science literacy

  • Agricultural careers

  • Nutrition

  • Pre-service and professional develop opportunities for teachers

The strength of AITC comes from its grassroots organization and the fact that educators are very much a part of the movement. Giant strides have been made since 1981. Agriculture in the Classroom is regarded as a refreshing and flexible educational program designed to supplement and enhance the teacher's existing curriculum.

Ag Ed Moves To The Front Burner

USDA remains actively involved in promoting agricultural education and preparing students for careers in food, agricultural science, natural resources, and related fields. Earlier this month Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack addressed students, agricultural educators, and guests at the opening session of the 96th National FFA Convention and Expo. He was there to sign a Memorandum of Understanding with FFA formalizing a partnership to prepare more students for careers in food, agricultural science, natural resources, and related fields.

In June 2023, USDA announced a $262.5 million investment in institutions of higher education to foster the next generation of diverse agricultural professionals across the nation. In March 2023, USDA announced several actions to expand support for and access to the school meal programs, including awarding $50 million in grants that will increase collaboration between schools, food producers and suppliers.

The Agricultural Business Council of Kansas City has been following investment and developmental efforts of the agricultural colleges at the University of Missouri and Kansas State University. Both schools can brag that their ag, veterinary and food programs and research accomplishments rank them among the top 20 institutions worldwide.

Last month, Dr. Ernie Minton, KSU’s Ag dean, updated the AgBiz Council on K-State’s Ag Innovation Initiative. With a price tag of $208 million, it is the largest single infrastructure undertaking in the history of the university. It signals the beginning of a food, agriculture and natural resources infrastructure overhaul in Manhattan and throughout the state. “The project will set a new bar for multidisciplinary research and innovation,” said Dr. Minton, “and continue to elevate K-State’s status among ag schools in the U.S.”

The Food and Agricultural Policy Research Institute (FAPRI) at the University of Missouri’s College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources (CAFNR) has developed an international reputation as a reliable source of information and analysis on everything from farm commodity market outlook to the impacts of farm bills, trade disputes and biofuels – among others. FAPRI is well known for its projections for the farm economy. It develops 10-year projections for thousands of indicators that affect the food and agricultural sectors of the U.S. economy.

But Something Else Is Going On

Elementary students around the state are learning about the role of agriculture in their lives this fall with Agriculture Education on the Move™ (AEOTM). Through AEOTM, an educational program of Missouri Farmers Care, educators spend time in classrooms across Missouri helping elementary students build agricultural literacy.

During the ten-week program, students learn about crops, livestock, soil and water conservation, nutrition and careers in agriculture. The STEM-focused lessons and curriculum meet state learning objectives in the areas of science, math, social studies and language arts. Hands-on activities are incorporated into each lesson, providing fun and interactive ways of learning as students make soybean germination necklaces, corn plastic, butter, feed rations, soil profiles and more. Through the curriculum, students learn about Missouri farm families and how the dedication and year-round efforts of these farmers and ranchers impact their lives.

“Agriculture education in elementary classrooms is a valuable experience for all involved,” says Heather Fletcher, AEOTM program director. “Students, teachers and even AEOTM educators and partners are connecting to the world around them, where their food comes from and how agriculture affects daily life. We value each participating school and look forward to returning year after year.”

Hundreds of Missouri FFA students partner with Missouri Farmers Care to teach AEOTM™ to students in their local school districts. Through this opportunity, FFA members serve as educators, gaining hands-on experience in the classroom and as advocates for agriculture in their community. Missouri Farmers Care’s AEOTM program equips FFA partners with the curriculum, training and materials to teach in their local communities. In 2023, 535 FFA members in 83 FFA chapters joined the effort to educate Missouri’s third-graders about the agriculture industry.

“We appreciate each Missouri FFA student serving as an Ag Education on the Move™ FFA Partner Educator,” Fletcher adds. “These high school students serve as role models for the elementary students they are teaching, sharing their knowledge and passion for agriculture. At the same time, they are building communication, management and leadership skills they will use throughout their careers.”

AEOTM will engage over 10,000 third-grade students through ten weeks of in-classroom programming this year, more than doubling the program’s reach since 2021.

“The entire community benefits from Agriculture Education on the Move™ as local students experience the thrill of germinating seeds, understanding the basics of how their food is produced and opening their eyes, many for the first time, to the agriculture all around them,” explains Ashley McCarty, Missouri Farmers Care executive director. “The connections the students make this semester will help inform their perspectives as future consumers and help them see the potential of agriculturally-related careers.”

AEOTM is funded through Missouri Farmers Care, a coalition of more than 40 Missouri agriculture groups. Missouri soybean farmers and their checkoff and the MFA Oil Foundation support the program, along with contributions from Missouri Corn Merchandising Council, FCS Financial, MFA Incorporated, Missouri Beef Industry Council and the Missouri Fertilizer Control Board. 

Kansas elementary schools are also teaching agriculture. The program is designed to help students understand the importance of agriculture in their daily lives and to encourage them to pursue careers in agriculture. Additionally, the School-Based Agricultural Education (SBAE) program is delivered to over 13,000 students engaged in 220 ag ed initiatives by over 265 instructors in school districts across the state.

The Kansas Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom (KFAC) has created a lesson-plan kit that offers a free lesson and activity to incorporate agriculture into a classroom. In 2022, KFAC sent out more than 1,000 K-5th grade kits to educators across Kansas, reaching over 465 schools and 25,000 students. This KFAC lesson-plan is proving to be boon for new teachers. “We plan to continue expanding our reach by adding kits for grades 6-8 and 9-12 and increasing the number of kits we send,” notes the Foundation.

More initiatives were launched in 2023. One of them is Career Awareness for Rural Agricultural Sciences Through Tower Gardening – also known as Project CARAT, a vertical gardening curriculum to teach high school students various agricultural sciences career-related skills. Project CARAT is a partnership between the K-State Rural Education Center in KSU’s College of Education and KFAC. It is funded by a $150,000 grant from NIFA.

School-Based Agricultural Education is considered essential by Kansas State Department of Education. And it is determined to make sure “agricultural education prepares students for successful careers and a lifetime of informed choices in the global agriculture, food, fiber and natural resources systems.”