Department Celebrates Ag Literacy Week

The New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets today highlighted a record year for Agriculture Literacy Week, organized by the Agriculture in the Classroom Program, with more than 105,000 students in nearly 4,000 classrooms participating in the weeklong celebration of New York agriculture.  State Agriculture Commissioner Richard A. Ball and nearly two dozen Department staff members are joining approximately 7,000 volunteers across the state to educate students about the importance of agriculture and opportunities for careers in the industry by visiting classrooms and engaging with students through an agricultural-themed book reading and hands-on activities.

Commissioner Ball said, “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. 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.”

New York Agriculture in the Classroom Director Katie Carpenter said, “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. 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.”

Launched more than two decades ago, New York State has one of the longest-running and largest Agricultural Literacy Week programs in the country.  Agricultural Literacy Week is organized by the New York Agriculture in the Classroom Program, which celebrated its 40th anniversary last year. Today, Commissioner Ball visited a second-grade classroom at Schoharie Elementary School. In addition, nearly two dozen Department of Agriculture and Markets staff members are joining the statewide volunteer effort this week to visit classrooms and conduct lessons. Teachers are provided with follow-up activities to continue these important educational opportunities throughout the school year. For classrooms that are unable to host a volunteer this year, and to share the educational lessons of this year’s Ag Literacy book far and wide, a video recording of the book reading by Commissioner Ball is available here.

This year’s selected book is “Seasons on the Farm,” written by Chelsea Tornetto and illustrated by Karen Bunting. The book tells the story of life on the farm, all year round. On a farm, each season arrives with new jobs to do—crops to plant, animals to tend to, and fields to harvest. The book provides a beautiful inside look at what spring, summer, fall, and winter are like on a family farm, from adorable baby animals to rumbling tractors and pumpkins to pies.

To learn more about NYAITC and Agricultural Literacy Week, including a list of previous years’ books, visit newyork.agclassroom.org/programs/literacy.

New York Farm Bureau Director of Communications Amanda Powers said, “Agricultural Literacy Week is a great time of year to think about where our food comes from, and who is responsible for growing and producing it. It’s also a time to think about the types of food we eat and how they can contribute to a healthy lifestyle. I’m looking forward to reading a book to elementary school students on this very topic, because it’s never too soon to encourage children to develop an interest in the farm to food connection.”

Expanding Agricultural Education Throughout New York State

Supporting agricultural education and workforce development is a priority for New York State and the Department of Agriculture and Markets as introducing young people to the importance of local agriculture and the food system early on is critical to developing a pipeline of future agricultural leaders. New York State has more than 400 agricultural teachers across New York; the State is adding National Society for Minorities in Agriculture, Natural Resources and Related Sciences (MANRRS) chapters across the State, including the first junior chapter at John Bowne High School in Queens; it has nearly 200,000 4-H students in every corner of the State; and New York FFA is growing faster than any other state.

Recognizing this incredible potential, Governor Kathy Hochul held New York’s first-ever Youth Agriculture Conference, which brought together nearly 300 high school students representing youth agricultural organizations to identify opportunities for youth engagement in agriculture that reflect the industry’s future workforce needs. Following the conference, Governor Hochul launched the new Blue-Ribbon Panel to Advance Agriculture Education, which bring together food and agriculture industry stakeholders, educational institutions, and educators to chart a course for strengthening agriculture education and supporting the multi-faceted needs of the workforce.

To build on these successes and further access to agricultural education, continued funding for the successful New York Agriculture in the Classroom program is helping educators with integration of agricultural education into the public-school curriculum, ensuring students gain valuable knowledge and hands-on experience.

About New York Agriculture in the Classroom

Established in 1985, New York Agriculture in the Classroom is a partnership of Cornell University, the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets, the New York State Education Department, Cornell Cooperative Extension, and the New York Farm Bureau.

Its mission is to foster awareness, understanding, and appreciation of how food and fiber are produced, what we eat and how we live, by helping educators, students, and their communities learn about and engage with agriculture and food systems. NYAITC works with pre-K through high school teachers, pre-service teachers, Cornell Cooperative Extension and other community educators, farmers and producers, volunteers, parents, and community partners to increase agricultural literacy in New York State. Learn more at agclassroom.org/ny.