Advocating Agriculture

What is the toughest challenge American Agriculture faces in the next five years?  This was the question that was asked multiple times at a presentation in Manheim my cooperating teachers and I took members of our ag. classes and FFA to.  Trent Loos was his name and he is a radio talk show host who has taken it upon himself to bridge the gap between consumers and producers of the products they use. 

Being an ag. instructor, now more than ever we must mold well informed, knowledgeable, investigative leaders for tomorrow.  I have noticed that being an ag. instructor is no longer about teaching a class full of farm boys and girls who will be going back directly to the farm.  Student teaching in Lancaster County the largest agriculture producing county in PA has proven this to me even more.  The students who now are taking ag. classes are growing up in suburban developments, might have an uncle or grandfather who farms, or are two or more generations removed from the farm.  Being an ag. instructor today means teaching students to understand where their food comes from and how it is grown and harvested.  Understanding that genetically modified organisms have been in place for over two decades and regulations are put in place to protect you and your loved ones. 

We must find creative new ways to entice students to take our classes and want to learn about agriculture.  The population is only rising and there will be jobs in agriculture to provide food and fiber, resources, and education to others.  As an ag. educator we have an opportunity to plant the seed in a student to grow and flourish into a soil scientist and protect soil quality.  Become a wildlife manager and figure out ways in which urbanization and wildlife species can still sustain themselves.  Become a doctor and understand the importance of animal research and be an advocate for it because they took an ag. class. These are just three examples of what being an ag. teacher today to me means. 

Don’t get me wrong I love production agriculture and could talk about cows, plows, and sows all day long, but that no longer is the majority it is more like the minority of what we teach.  If anything what I took from Wednesday’s presentation is that I can be that “coupling” between students and the questions or uncertainties they may have relating to agriculture.  I can be that voice for farmers whose farm the school bus passes by each day.  I’m up for that challenge.  Because I believe American agriculture can and will hold true to the best traditions of our national life…