Ag literacy very important

Jan. 21, 2022

Living in Central Minnesota, many of us take for granted our understanding of where our food comes from. As the greater public continues to become more disconnected from the important role Minnesota farms play in putting wholesome and nutritious food on our plates, it is increasingly important to find ways to connect those dots. Increasing ag literacy in Minnesota will help students see the big picture and help them be more conscientious consumers in the future.

As the former EV-W School Board Chairperson and current Midwest Dairy Corporate Board Member, I am passionate about closing that gap of understanding and increasing ag literacy throughout Minnesota. That is why I fully support and promote the Minnesota Ag in the Classroom’s FREE AgMag series and its accompanying curricula. The series is produced by the MN Department of Ag and follows Minnesota academic standards.

For more than 35 years, AgMag has been an awesome add-on to traditional textbooks for grades K-6. And did I mention it is FREE? And FUN? Whether you are a classroom teacher, a parent who is homeschooling, a youth leader looking for a project or are just interested in learning more, please visit mnagmag.org. Here you can view the variety of topics and grade level content and order your free copies. There are also tabs for each of the primary commodities produced in Minnesota where you can watch videos and learn more.

At a time when many parents and educators may be looking for ways to get back to the basics and encourage “learning by doing,” this resource is tailored to providing the opportunity to learn through hands-on, engaging, age-appropriate content. By connecting students to where their food and goods come from, we teach them about land stewardship and help them to think with conservation in mind, which benefits both them and the planet. Allowing them to get to know the people who are producing those items also leads to a stronger sense of community.

In addition to the free AgMag publications, Minnesota Ag in the Classroom has added many new programs such as Virtual Field Trips that celebrate connections between Minnesota farms and schools and Farm Camp Minnesota (for grades 5-12) that creates a 3-day immersive agricultural experience for classrooms. Podcasts, distance learning resources, and video libraries are just a few of the other resources available to educators. To learn more, please go to http://minnesota.agclassroom.org and take a tour of the educator center.

Whether you personally are a public school educator, homeschool your child(ren), or are a leader of youth activities, please consider incorporating these free, fun, and standards-based tools into your curriculum. If you or your organization share my passion for ag literacy, please consider donating to the MN Ag in the Classroom Foundation at https://minnesota.agclassroom.org/foundation/donate/.

Sarah Kuechle, Minnesota Ag in the Classroom Foundation Board Member