[ad_1]
Howard, Pa. — Pennsylvania is taking steps to make Agriculture Literacy a daily a part of the curriculum. Using authorities funding, increasingly faculties are educating rising practices, studying about meals and vitamin, and giving youngsters hands-on studying alternatives.
Last week, Pennsylvania Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding visited Howard Elementary School in Centre County as a part of an Ag Literacy Week celebration. The week encourages college students to take into consideration the place meals comes from and to think about future careers in agriculture.
Officials from the Department of Agriculture have spent the week studying agriculture-related books to youngsters in kindergarten, first, and second grade. Recommended titles are Katie Olthoff’s My Family’s Soybean Farm and Phyllis Root’s Anywhere Farm.
In addition to studying to the scholars, Redding hung out exploring the college’s hydroponic backyard, a mission supported by Pennsylvania’s Farm to School Grants.
“Agriculture influences our lives each day. It gives us with the meals we eat, the garments we put on, and most of the merchandise we use every day,” stated Redding. “Ag Literacy Week helps college students make that connection. It fosters an early appreciation for agriculture and the farmers and meals staff who guarantee meals reaches tables throughout the commonwealth and the world. It additionally encourages college students to think about alternatives in agriculture, rising the subsequent technology of agriculturalists.”
Deputy Secretary Fred Strathmeyer, Western Region Coordinator Mark Critz, and Commissioner for Agriculture Education Excellence Stephon Fitzpatrick will learn to college students in Tioga, Westmoreland, and Philadelphia counties later within the week.
“We are happy Secretary Redding has chosen to take part in Ag Literacy Week, a program created by our charitable group, the Pennsylvania Friends of Agriculture Foundation,” stated PA Farm Bureau President Rick Ebert. “The program encourages farmers and agriculture officers to learn a guide to younger college students throughout faculty visits, serving to them acquire a greater understanding about how farmers care for his or her land and animals and the position farmers play in producing the meals they eat.”
Engaging younger college students to garner early curiosity in agriculture is a key ingredient within the Farm to School Grant Program, which gives funding to faculties to enhance scholar entry to regionally produced meals and gives agriculture schooling alternatives for pre-k by fifth grade youngsters.
Howard Elementary School, a part of Bald Eagle Area School District, is one in all greater than 130 Farm to School Grant recipients. The funding is used for the college’s agriculture, meals, and vitamin curriculum and to enhance contemporary meals choices by their hydroponics system.
[ad_2]
