Elementary ag education program receives $12,000 Farm Credit grant

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — There was a time when just about everyone knew where their food came from and how it was produced, because it was probably their dad, uncle or grandfather producing it on the family farm. But that’s not the case anymore.

“I grew up on a farm, but for kids today who haven’t had that experience, it’s amazing how much understanding they can lose, even in one generation, when that contact is no longer there,” said Carl Hess, Farm Credit Mid-America regional vice president for northwest Ohio.

Grant

That’s one of the reasons that Farm Credit recently made a $12,000 grant to the Ohio Livestock Coalition’s “For Your InFARMation,” an educational outreach program for the state’s third graders.

The popular program, now in its fifth year, seeks to teach young Buckeyes about where their food comes from and how farmers provide excellent animal care and protect the land, air and water. Students also learn about career opportunities in agriculture.

The three-day, smart board lessons help students understand how Ohio livestock farmers feed their communities, their state, their world and the importance of agriculture to Ohio. The lessons, which were developed with the assistance of a third-grade teacher and curriculum consultant, support Ohio academic content standards for social studies, language arts, math and science. Ohio Livestock Coalition executive director David White said that there are other good reasons for educating third graders about agriculture.

“This is an age where kids are developing basic beliefs which will last for the rest of their lives,” said White. “It’s very important that we reach out and talk with them about the importance of agriculture, food producing animals and where their protein is coming from, at a very early age.”

Contest

One of the highlights of “For Your InFARMation” is an essay contest about what the third graders have learned during the three days of the program. The two contest winners, along with their whole class, win a free field trip to an Ohio livestock farm where they will be able to see and interact with farm animals up close.

White said that Farm Credit’s grant enabled the program to continue for another year, which wouldn’t have been possible otherwise.

For more information about the program, visit www.ForYourInFARMation.com.