Farm Bureau Mini-Grants Foster Ag Education
WASHINGTON, D.C., June 24, 2009 – The American Farm Bureau Foundation for Agriculture, in cooperation with the AFB Women’s Leadership Committee, has awarded 23 $500 mini-grants to communities across the nation. The grants will be used to fund new projects or extend current agricultural education efforts. They are distributed through county and state Farm Bureaus. The grants are awarded through Farm Bureau’s White-Reinhardt Fund for Education program.
Criteria used for selecting the winners included: the effectiveness of demonstrating a strong connection between agriculture and education; how effectively the programs encouraged students to learn more about agriculture and the food and fiber industry; and the procedures and timelines expected for accomplishing project goals.
“Through the mini-grant program, counties and states are assisted in their efforts to educate students about the many facets of today’s modern production agriculture,” said Dan Durheim, director of program development and coordinator of the AFB Foundation for Agriculture.
The White-Reinhardt Fund for Education is a project of the AFB Foundation for Agriculture in cooperation with the AFB Women’s Leadership Committee. The fund honors two former committee chairwomen, Berta White and Linda Reinhart, who were leaders in early national efforts to expand the outreach of agricultural education and improve agricultural literacy.
2009 Mini-Grants Awarded to State and County Farm Bureaus:
Adams County Farm Bureau, Ill. |
New program on locally grown foods. |
Alaska Farm Bureau |
Fund Ag in the Classroom DVD lending program. |
Arizona Farm Bureau |
Update poultry curriculum kit. |
Bay County, Mich. |
New poultry education program. |
Benton County, Iowa |
Beekeeping education. |
Edwards County, Ill. |
Apple learning stations. |
Franklin County, Ill. |
Classroom visits about agriculture. |
Fulton County, Ill. |
Letter writing program about agriculture. |
Hartford County, Conn. |
Expansion of high school agri-science program and beekeeping for elementary students. |
Huron County, Mich. |
Start-up Ag in the Classroom program for first graders. |
Indiana Farm Bureau |
GPS units and lessons on geocaching. |
Jefferson County, Ohio |
New county Agriculture Awareness Day. |
Kaufman County, Texas |
New poultry classroom project. |
Kendall County, Ill. |
GPS and its applications in agriculture. |
Lafourche Parish, La. |
Positive Action School Site (gardening project). |
Michigan Farm Bureau |
Expansion of the “Captain Food Fabulous” project. |
Pitttsylvania County, Va. |
Purchase of agriculture-related books. |
South Carolina Farm Bureau |
Establishment of the Ag Book of the Year program. |
Texas Farm Bureau |
Computer-based interactive game based on AFBFA’s “Addressing Misconceptions About Agriculture” program. |
Union County, Ky. |
Bushels for Books program. |
Vermilion County, Ill. |
Barn-shaped shelving units to hold books and other educational materials. |
Virginia Ag in the Classroom |
Soybean books promoting Ag in the Classroom. |
Warren-Henderson County, Ill. |
New “Farm Days” project that encourages children to read agriculture-related books. |
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| Contacts: | Tracy Taylor Grondine (202) 406-3642 tracyg@fb.org |
Cyndie Sirekis (202) 406-3649 cyndies@fb.org |
