Des Moines, Iowa – February 9, 2018– The Iowa Council on Agricultural Education is seeking nominees to recognize for excellence in agriculture education.

The Iowa Council on Agricultural Education is a bipartisan effort that is charged to review, develop, and recommend standards for secondary and postsecondary agriculture education in Iowa. One of the projects of the group is to recognize those agriculture education school programs that are doing exemplary work in the areas of program promotion and marketing, agriculture career awareness, integration of science, adult education, and curriculum review and revision.

“We value many things: our academics, our agriculture department, and most importantly, our community. Offering these classes helps not only the community out but also the students involved in getting them set up. It gives us the opportunity to help out our community and it also helps us gain more knowledge in certain areas,” wrote Maquoketa Valley students Justin Krapfl, Kyle Richter, and Rejji Smith.

The award nomination form can be completed by students, alumni, parents, administrators, or other supporters of the local agriculture education program. The nominations will be reviewed and selected by the Council on Agricultural Education. One winner will be selected in each of the award areas and an overall winner will also be recognized. Award winners will be recognized at the Iowa FFA Leadership Conference to be held at Iowa State University in Ames, Iowa on April 22-24.

“The purpose of the award is to identify what makes a highly successful agriculture education program in schools and recognize those who model that success,” said Will Fett, chair of the council. “We hope that other schools will be inspired to implement some of the best practices that are highlighted.”

Agriculture education is offered in 232 high schools across Iowa. Agriculture education employs a three-component model to deliver teaching through classroom instruction, supervised agricultural experience programs, and leadership development through FFA. Students who take an agriculture education class are eligible to join FFA. There are more than 14,000 FFA members in Iowa.

“Each opportunity given to us helps us to prosper and become motivated to come back into the agriculture industry in the surrounding area,” wrote students Amanda Engelken, Gabriela Guetzko, and Cole Kruse.

The award nomination form can be completed online at  https://form.jotform.com/wfett/award-excellence-in-ag-2018.  Applications are due March 1, 2018.

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About the Iowa Agriculture Literacy Foundation
IALF serves as a central resource for educators and volunteers who want to teach Iowa’s students about agriculture. The mission is to educate Iowans, with a focus on youth, regarding the breadth and global significance of agriculture. Iowa is a leading producer of agricultural products that are essential to feed a growing world population, estimated to reach more than 9 billion by 2050. IALF believes it is important for all Iowans to understand the essential role agriculture has in their lives. IALF will support existing agriculture education efforts such as FFA, 4-H and Ag in the Classroom. IALF was created through a joint effort of agricultural stakeholders, including the Iowa Corn Growers Association, Iowa Farm Bureau Federation, Iowa Pork Producers Association, Iowa Soybean Association, Silos and Smokestacks Foundation, DuPont Pioneer, GROWMARK, and the Iowa Beef Industry Council. For more information visit IALF online at IowaAgLiteracy.org, on Facebook, and Twitter.

Source:
Iowa Agriculture Literacy Foundation

Contact:
Will Fett, Executive Director
Iowa Agriculture Literacy Foundation
WFett@IowaAgLiteracy.org
515-331-4182