A DAY ON THE FARM: STUDENTS INCREASE KNOWLEDGE OF AGRICULTURE
Extension Education
Tracy Behnken
Extension Educator
Nebraska Extension
Blair
Abstract
\r\n Understanding the need to educate youth about the various aspects of agriculture and how it affects their daily lives, a county-based Extension professional applied and received the Governor’s Agricultural Excellence Award which provided funding for the first annual “A Day on the Farm” event. As grant funding diminished over a two-year period and the need to educate a greater number of students, the original event organizer began collaboration with a neighboring Extension faculty member to assist in seeking grant funds as well as assist with general organization. Since joining forces in 2002, more than 5,200 third grade students from a five-county area have been educated and nearly $25,000 in support has been obtained from local and state commodity associations, local banks and county Farm Bureaus. “A Day on the Farm” was designed as a half-day event for local third grade students. The program strives to increase youth’s positive attitudes about agriculture products as healthful, nutritious, safe, convenient, versatile, consumer-friendly and environmentally-friendly products and a strong, positive image of agribusiness professionals, agriculture producers and agriculture production. Students learn by attending six 15-minute hands-on sessions about agricultural technology, beef, corn/soybeans, dairy, swine, and alternative agriculture. In 2010, 83.3% of the teachers reported their students gaining a moderate to an extreme increase in knowledge for the six sessions attended. Evaluation data was collected by utilized a hard copy evaluation form distributed to the 36 classroom teachers attending the events. When evaluating the individual sessions, the average overall “Increase in Knowledge” was 4.11/5.00.
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Poster has NOT been presented at any previous NACAA AM/PIC
This poster is being submitted for judging. It will be displayed at the AM/PIC if not selected as a State winner. The abstract will be published in the proceedings.
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Authors: T.J. Behnken
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Behnken, T. Extension Educator, University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension, Nebraska, 68025