Ag Education
Voice of Agriculture Conference
Plan to Attend March 1 & 2, 2012
County Farm Bureau's communications and Promotion and Education leaders are encouraged to attend Michigan Farm Bureau's second Voice of Agriculture Conference, March 1 & 2 at the Causeway Bay Hotel in Lansing.
The purpose of the two-day conference is to provide members with new ideas, training and leadership development to spread positive agricultural messages. The conference will help those seeking to bridge the gap between agriculture and consumers through communications, education and promotion efforts. Anyone interested in spreading positive messages about Michigan agriculture is encouraged to attend.
Topics will include communication and P&E chair training; communicating on myths; fostering teamwork; Social media - Facebook for Farm Bureau; press releases and media advisories; Ag in the Classroom training; reaching out to teachers and community members; communication - diplomacy and perspective and a communication roundtable.
The Core Program Fund will cover registration for two participants per county, which includes lunch, snacks, conference materials and a double occupancy overnight hotel stay. Registration for each additional participant will also be $180. Participants requesting a single room will incur an additional $50 charge. The registration deadline is Feb. 6, 2012. Registration can be done through local County Administration Managers. For additional information, contact Jean White at (517) 323-7000, ext. 3202 or jwhite1@michfb.com.
Ag Week Poster Contest
Past contest winner
County Farm Bureaus having decided to sponsor a local poster contest might be in a quandary as to a theme. Counties are encouraged to utilize one of the themes from the past few years.
Sponsoring a local contest is a great way to keep involved with children in the counties and participate in Ag-in-the-Classroom activities. Counties will have the opportunity to recognize youth interested in learning about agriculture.
Counties need not be limited in their choice of themes; they may also want to create their own theme. Listed are past themes that proved to be very successful:
• Farmer’s: Feeders of the World using “Soil: It is More than Just Dirt” Lesson Plan
• Michigan – Farming through my Eyes
• What’s in Your Michigan Lunchbox?: Can utilize the “Food & Fiber” or “Seed “Lesson plans
• F.U.N. – Farmers Understand Nature: “Food & Fiber” or “Seed Lesson” plans can be utilized
• F.A.R.M. – Feeding and Reaching Many: “Food & Fiber” or “Seed” Lesson plans
• Healthy Farms = Healthy Bodies: “ Farmers CARE” Lesson plan
• I SPY a Caring Farmer: “Farmers CARE” Lesson plan
Additional information including sample letters, lessons and permission forms can be found at http://www.michfb.com/education/teachers/lessons.
The Michigan Treasure placemat is also a useful tool for any poster contest topics.
Make plans now for National Ag Week 2012! There are many great young artists in Michigan just waiting to be discovered. If you need additional help, don’t hesitate to contact us by email (jwhite1@michfb.com) or phone (517) 323-7000, ext. 3202.
Ag Week 2012
Planning has begun for the 2012 Ag Week Celebration
National Agriculture Week, March 4 – 10, 2012 will be a week of celebration across the state of Michigan. County Farm Bureaus will reach out to farm and non-farm consumers alike to remind them that agriculture provides safe, affordable and abundant food. They want them to remember Michigan farmers CARE about their land, animals, the environment and them!!
County Promotion & Education committees are already gearing up for the celebration. Ag Week activities include Ag-in-the-Classroom visits, baskets of Michigan products will be presented to babies born during the week and counties will promote Michigan agriculture on radio and in newspapers.
P&E committees will read to students in local libraries, will distribute placemats in restaurants to help educate others of the importance of agriculture to the Michigan economy. There will be local Ag Week Poster contests and Ag Week Essay Contests as well.
Agriculture is the second largest industry in Michigan and National Ag-Week provided a great opportunity for Michigan farmers to teach children and adults about how important agriculture is and how much they CARE!
Though the official Ag Week celebration is March 4 - 10, County Farm Bureaus and P&E committees continually inform, educate and bring the message of agriculture to Michigan citizens 365 days a year. Every day, in some small way is ag-day.
My American Farm
Online Ag Games
Game On!! The American Farm Bureau Foundation for Agriculture has an online interactive education program targeted at students in third through fifth grades. It was launched in January of this year. My American Farm, an interactive website at http://www.agfoundation.org, contains subject-matter focused on and agriculturally themed. Included are math, science, social studies, language arts and health
There are educator resources, family activities, videos and other features. The My American Farm website is much more appealing to kids, parents and teachers. It is an enjoyable and educational activity for farm and non-farm families.
Participants can test their math by playing the “Harvest This” game; reading skills with “Wild Water Adventure” game; or, life, product and animal life cycles with the “That’s Life” game.
Resources are all free, due to a sponsorship provided by Pioneer, a DuPont Business
Click here for more information: http://www.myamericanfarm.org/
