By Justin Walker
Communications Specialist
Misinformation about agriculture is abundant, but farmers, ranchers and Texas Farm Bureau (TFB) are working together to share accurate information and stories.
In 2018, TFB’s Organization division, which handles education and outreach, communicated with teachers, students and members of the public through a variety of classroom activities, community events and workshops.
TFB volunteers helped with those efforts.
“Between our staff and our dedicated volunteers and program teachers, we were successful in promoting Texas agriculture and increasing awareness of agricultural literacy,” Whit Weems, TFB director of Leader Development, said.
Through the Summer Agriculture Institute, regional trainings and teacher workshops, teachers learned ways to incorporate agriculture into their curriculum and took home lesson plans.
The school visit program, which includes curriculum for second through eighth grade students, expanded in 2018.
In addition to the Planting the Seed science lesson, reading, social studies and careers lessons were piloted in 2018 for launch in 2019, helping the program reach more students and teachers. Through the program, urban and rural students alike become farmers as they plant a seed in a cup, learn about careers in agriculture, study regions of Texas, read and write a postcard and have the chance to meet local farmers.
TFB staff also hosted a workshop at the Vocational Agricultural Teachers Association of Texas Conference to share details on scholarships, agricultural advocacy information and more.
High school juniors and seniors attended the 55th annual Youth Leadership Conference where they learned about free enterprise, constitutional government, setting goals and leadership.
More than 700,000 adults and children were reached through the Planet Agriculture exhibit, which is an interactive, educational exhibit on display at fairs and livestock shows across the state.
The Harvest Experience Trailer, which simulates corn and wheat harvests, had 71,820 visitors. The trailer was on display at livestock shows and at a NASCAR race at Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth.
County Farm Bureau leaders and TFB Field Operations staff participated in farmers markets, fairs and other venues and hosted 60 Ag Days for elementary students throughout the year. TFB’s mobile learning barns, which are trailers that feature up to seven different crops and livestock, were used to help initiate conversations and teach nearly 50,000 school children and nearly 128,000 adults and children last year.
“At each event or in each classroom, we get questions about our food, how it’s grown and who is growing it,” Weems said. “We start the dialogue and give consumers a look into the diversity of Texas agriculture. We help them connect with local farmers who volunteer at the events, and we help build relationships, which are key to consumers making that desired connection and satisfying their appetite for information about their food.”