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Rooted in education: Boosting ‘ag’ literacy in the classroom

Published: March 24, 2021

IAA Foundation supports the future of agriculture in Illinois

Life is a bowl of radishes for a little girl who helped plant the seeds, watch them grow, and harvest the produce.

She poses proudly for a photo with the red root vegetables, a smile beaming across her face.

“Radishes aren’t a vegetable you’d typically see kids get excited about,” says Susan Moore, director of the IAA Foundation. “But because she had a hand in growing them, and understood all the steps required to make one radish, she gained a new appreciation for the food.”

The Bloomington-based non-profit, which is the charitable arm of Illinois Farm Bureau, delivers a program to teach Illinois children about the importance of agriculture and the vital role it plays in their lives and society. Illinois Agriculture in the Classroom (IAITC) partners with teachers and students from pre-kindergarten to Grade 12 from across the state to augment classroom curricula with high-quality, scientifically sound agricultural information.

With the support of AITC coordinators, teachers infuse their existing resources with materials related to agriculture, resulting in students who will grow up with an understanding and appreciation of how food is grown and the importance of stewarding the environment to protect the food supply.

Agriculture is Illinois’ No. 1 industry, but it’s not part of the school curriculum, Moore explains. AITC seeks to fill the gap. On an average year, the program reaches 600,000 students and 45,000 teachers through field trips, classroom presentations, and learning resources.

Agricultural literacy coordinators work closely with teachers to help them “feel comfortable incorporating concepts of agriculture into their existing curriculum of science, English, technology, math and the like,” Moore says.

For example, an AITC coordinator could support a fourth-grade teacher’s lessons about the life cycle by guiding the class through a chick-hatching project. The memorable, hands-on experience enhances the science curriculum while also introducing concepts of food and agricultural literacy.

The free program operates thanks to funding from partners and grants, like the $5,000 Fueling Futures grant the foundation received from Enbridge this year.

“We appreciate the support from industry and partners who also place value on rural America and helping advance agriculture,” Moore says. “Funders like Enbridge make sure we can do all that at no cost to teachers and students.”

Our food supply depends on a thriving agriculture and farming industry, Moore continues. “Education is a great way to build that foundation.”

Adds Moore, “Even if it’s one kid—and one radish—at a time, the program is making a difference.”

(TOP PHOTO: Illinois Agriculture in the Classroom (IAITC) helps students explore the world of agriculture through lessons and activities, on subjects ranging from soils to butterflies—even milking Bessie the cow.)

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