Agriculture in the Classroom in Ogle and Carroll counties receives grant funding

OREGON — Illinois Agriculture in the Classroom programs in Ogle and Carroll counties were among those to receive a portion of $647,000 in grant dollars distributed to 80 coalitions serving 89 counties, said Melinda Colbert, program coordinator for the University of Illinois Extension-Ogle County.

The IAA Foundation grants can be used for educational material and training during the current school year. In Ogle and Carroll counties the programs provide students hands-on opportunities to discover agriculture at the local and global level, Colbert said.

“Providing these grants ensures access to lessons with emphasis on STEM that incorporate accurate agricultural content for teachers and students,” said Kevin Daugherty, education director, for the Ag in the Classroom program.

Daugherty said outreach through the ag literacy program continued to grow. More than 650,000 students and nearly 40,000 teachers use lessons developed by the program.

The IAA Foundation is the charitable arm of the Illinois Farm Bureau. The foundation provides funding for magazines, teacher grants, and summer ag academies.

“Consistent outreach requires steadfast supporters,” said Susan Moore, director, IAA Foundation. “We are grateful to annual donors who understand how important efforts to enhance agriculture literacy can be. Every year there are new fourth graders to connect with, and our donors understand and appreciate IAITC’s efforts to get the job done.”

Partner organizations of for Ag in the Classroom are Illinois Farm Bureau, Facilitating Coordination in Agricultural Education, University of Illinois Extension, Illinois Beef Association, Illinois Corn Marketing Board, Illinois Pork Producers Association, Illinois Soybean Association, Midwest Dairy Association, Illinois Department of Agriculture and the Association of Soil and Water Conservation Districts.