By Justin Walker
Communications Specialist

Agricultural science teachers from across the Lone Star State attended Texas Farm Bureau’s (TFB) Mini Ag Institute in Huntsville late last month.

The seminar was designed to offer practical experience in agricultural concepts and highlight curriculum and resources provided by TFB.

“This was our first year to offer the Mini Ag Institute, and we are excited to have ag teachers learn about large- and small-scale agricultural operations,” Dakota Fleming, associate director for Urban and Educational Outreach at TFB, said. “Texas agriculture is as diverse as it comes, and it plays such an important role in society.”

Teachers learned more about agriculture through hands-on activities, including a quail necropsy and stewarding session from Brian Robert, an education program specialist at Texas Wildlife Association.

The quail activity was a great example of incorporating science and agricultural concepts into the classroom, Kasey Naylor, an agricultural science teacher at Sam Rayburn High School in Ivanhoe, said.

“This workshop has been a really awesome experience learning new ways of getting our students outside and engaging them in agriculture,” Naylor said.

The two-day workshop also included tours of the Texas Forestry Association and the MakeWood Plantation Blueberry Farm.

Dr. Craig Wilson, director of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Future Scientist Program and a senior research associate at the Center for Mathematics and Science Education at Texas A&M University, shared resources and information with the teachers from the agency, including the recently launched youth and agriculture website.

The website includes information for educators and community leaders, as well as resources to empower future leaders.

Hands-on and inquiry-based learning and activities are important in agricultural classrooms, Cody Berry, an agricultural science teacher at Hudson High School in Lufkin, said. Coupled with the resources USDA offers, it can be an opportunity for students to deepen there knowledge and understanding of agriculture.

“I’ve learned a lot during this workshop, especially from the USDA,” Berry said. “It’s incredible what they do to help ag producers across the country and across the world to grow better products for our consumers.”

While TFB only planned one Mini Ag Institute for 2019, there are several other opportunities for kindergarten through twelfth grade teachers to learn how to engage students with agriculture-based curriculum.

For more information on the workshops, contact Fleming at dfleming@txfb.org or call 254-751-2608.