By Blake Jackson
The New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets has announced a record-breaking year for Agricultural Literacy Week, led by the New York Agriculture in the Classroom Program. This year, more than 105,000 students across nearly 4,000 classrooms took part in the weeklong initiative celebrating agriculture in New York.
State Agriculture Commissioner Richard A. Ball, along with nearly two dozen department staff members, joined approximately 7,000 volunteers statewide to engage students through classroom visits, book readings, and interactive activities focused on agriculture and career opportunities in the field.
“Agricultural Literacy Week is one of my favorite times of the year, and I can’t think of anything more important than this opportunity to reach our young people and share with them the story of New York agriculture," Commissioner Ball said.
"As Commissioner, and as a farmer, I have long been committed to doing what I can to make sure that our children know where their food comes and how its grown, and by participating in Ag Literacy Week, we can all bring agriculture into the classroom, perhaps sparking a students’ interest and inspiring these young minds to consider agriculture as a future career.”
“Agricultural Literacy Week celebrates the connection between our classrooms and our farms by providing a meaningful opportunity for our agriculture community to step into classrooms and share their piece of the New York food system story," New York Agriculture in the Classroom Director Katie Carpenter said.
"By sharing how food is raised and produced in their communities we are building an understanding and appreciation of agriculture that will last a lifetime and carry forward a deeper respect for agriculture and the future of New York.”
Now in its third decade, the program is among the nation’s largest and longest running of its kind. This year’s featured book, “Seasons on the Farm” by Chelsea Tornetto and illustrated by Karen Bunting, introduces students to year-round life on a family farm.
Photo Credit: gettyimages-fotografixx
Categories: New York, Education