Elevating Agricultural Education

Zippy Duvall

President

Today is American Farm Bureau Foundation for Agriculture's Giving Day, a time to celebrate the incredible work being done to support agricultural education and recognize all the educators, staff and volunteers who help us make it happen.

Advancing Agricultural Education for Future Generations

The Ag Foundation is on a mission to spark students' curiosity about where their food comes from, but we cannot do it alone. It takes community - people like you - who believe in the importance of ag education and want to make a difference for the next generation.

From publishing award-winning books through Feeding Mind Press to creating rigorous STEM curriculum, the Ag Foundation is providing resources that introduce future consumers to agriculture and inspire the next generation of farmers, researchers, veterinarians and ag innovators. Whether it's through engaging lesson plans, activities or videos, every resource is designed to be accurate, accessible and impactful. Every book, lesson plan and resource is carefully researched by education specialists and reviewed by subject matter experts. We do our homework first so that educators, parents and volunteers have the confidence to bring agricultural education into the classroom and at home.

Beyond resources, the Ag Foundation is also committed to equipping educators with opportunities and training, including our On the Farm STEM program, farm tours and scholarships to give them tools to help these lessons come alive in the classroom.

The Ag Foundation has so much to offer and if you haven't checked out our website yet, that should be your next stop.

From publishing award-winning books through Feeding Mind Press to creating rigorous STEM curriculum, the Ag Foundation is providing resources that introduce future consumers to agriculture.

Ways to Support

All of this work would not be possible without our generous supporters and dedicated volunteers. By donating, you can help us develop literacy resources and reach more students across the country. To make your commitment or find out more about the ways to donate, please visit our donate page on the website. Supporters who give today will be eligible for special prizes, and we have some special plans for the state Farm Bureaus with the most donations.

There are also many other meaningful ways you can help contribute to the mission of agricultural education outside of our Giving Day such as giving your time or donating resources straight to the classroom.

The first step is to reach out to your county and state Farm Bureaus to see what volunteering opportunities may be available to bring agricultural literacy to the classroom. Across the nation, our local and state leaders are hosting booths at county fairs and visiting local elementary schools and libraries to read books about agriculture. And if there are not efforts like this in your community yet, then I encourage you to see what you can do to get something started.

You also can invite students to visit your farm or organize a community event focused on ag literacy. Something as simple as donating Feeding Minds Press books to a local library can help open doors for agricultural education in your community.

Join Us in Advancing Agricultural Education

As we come together to support the Ag Foundation's Giving Day, I challenge you to reflect on the difference we can make together. The Foundation has accomplished so much, and I'm so proud of all the work our dedicated staff and volunteers do year-round. But class is still in session and there's still more work to do.

So whether it's through donating, volunteering or raising awareness, please know your efforts are planting seeds for future generations. These are the contributions that can yield a lasting impact for the next generation to have a better understanding of the exciting and innovative work happening on our farms and ranches to bring food to everyone's pantries.

On behalf of the Ag Foundation's board and staff, I want to thank everyone who has contributed to our mission of advancing agricultural education.