Thursday, September 21, 2023 is National Teach Agriculture Day. This is a special day set aside to encourage teachers to incorporate agriculture into their curriculums.

Agriculture is an often-misunderstood industry that affects every one of us. We all rely on ag daily.

Did you know that…

·        Agriculture and related industries contribute roughly $1.3 trillion to the U.S. gross domestic product (GDP).

·        There are over 21 million jobs directly tied to agriculture, and 43 million jobs are indirectly related.

·        There are a LOT of well-paying jobs in agriculture for students, even if they never intend to live on a farm or in a rural setting.

·        Of course, our food comes from farms, but also unexpected products we use every day like shampoo, deodorant, soaps, perfumes, paint, pharmaceuticals, tires, and even asphalt, just to name a few.

·        98% of all U.S. farms are family owned and operated.

·        40% of Americans have NEVER met a farmer.

·        Over 80% of Americans are interested in knowing more about where their food comes from.

·        But only 1% can successfully differentiate between true and false statements about agriculture.

Ag literacy is vitally important to show our children career opportunities in agriculture. It is also critical so they can become better informed consumers, and less likely to fall for false and misleading advertising.

As parents and teachers, a great way to teach about agriculture is to read ag-accurate books with your children. There are a lot of outstanding books available at all reading levels.

If you would like to schedule me to speak to your classroom, school, 4H club, FFA club, civic group or library, contact me directly at JackieN@moomaven.com or visit www.moomaven.com/store/services.