Keith's Corner

Why interest in agriculture?

Do today's students have any interest in agriculture?

Agriculture is the source of the food we use for meals and snacks every day, right? Agriculture is much more than food! Agriculture is integral to the daily life of every person on this earth. It provides for health care, education, transportation, construction, manufacturing, printing, personal care products, entertainment, sports, and much more.

We are losing our farmland at an alarming rate due to construction, farming and business developments, and soil erosion. Each year there are fewer individuals actually involved in hands-on production. However, agriculture is one of our nation's largest employers. Ag-related careers are found in plant and animal science, food production, marketing, finance, economics, transportation, public policy, and environmental stewardship as well as human nutrition. It's a tremendous and rapidly growing job field with much variety for our young people.

As an educator you have an opportunity to help young people be aware of how the unique roles geography, science and technology, business and economics, political science, history, mathematics, and language arts all contribute to the story of agriculture.

The next challenge is to help students realize that even though they are removed from the farm they will be the agricultural decision makers for the future of this nation and for the peoples of the world.

Agriculture is the foundation and the most important industry in the world. Is there something you can do to help students become aware of the exciting careers and opportunities available to them stemming from agriculture? Check us out for ag-related materials to help you enhance those teachable moments in your classroom.

Please feel free to write to me at Keith@agri-ed.com and share your opinions about agriculture and our food system.

Questions or Suggestions? webmaster@agri-ed.com