New grants boost ag education in Indiana

By Andi Anderson

Indiana Farm Bureau (INFB) recently awarded its inaugural Ag Literacy Challenge Grants to 10 Indiana FFA Chapters and 4-H clubs.

These grants are offering up to $1,000 and will support new or expanded agricultural literacy programs, running from October 2024 to August 2025. The aim is to promote agriculture awareness and education within local communities.

To qualify, programs needed to meet one of these criteria:

• Educate consumers about Indiana agriculture.
• Foster collaboration and education between youth and adults in agriculture.
• Promote agricultural practices, policies, or education that stimulate community engagement.

The grant recipients are required to submit a report on their projects and present their work to their local county Farm Bureau.

The 2024 Ag Literacy Challenge Grant winners include:

• DeKalb High School FFA: Garden Bed Service Project, teaching elementary students about agriculture while high schoolers build garden beds, learning woodworking skills.
• Elkhart County 4-H: Elementary Ag Literacy & Farmers Markets, where bilingual students grow gardens and sell produce at local markets.
• Franklin County 4-H: POULT Program, offering hands-on experience in turkey farming, from hatching poults to learning about production.
• Tippecanoe County 4-H and McCutcheon High School FFA: ABCs of Ag, teaching third and fourth graders about agriculture careers and practices.
• Madison Consolidated High School FFA: Color Your Way Through Agriculture, providing agriculture-themed coloring books to fourth-grade students.
• Crawford County 4-H: Ag Day, featuring interactive agriculture learning stations and a career fair for fourth graders.
• Whiteland Community High School FFA: Teach the Teacher, educating teachers about the school’s agriculture program during FFA Week.
• Beech Grove High School FFA: Career Connect, helping middle school students explore agriculture careers at the National FFA Convention.
• Sullivan High School FFA: Christmas at the Barn, an ag literacy event focused on livestock and Christmas tree production.
• Adams County 4-H: Books in the Barn, promoting agriculture through hands-on activities at the county fair.

“Congratulations to our Ag Literacy Challenge Grant winners,” said INFB President Randy Kron. “FFA and 4-H are integral to ag education and providing our youth with leadership development opportunities. I look forward to seeing these programs thrive. They showcase Indiana agriculture and spread awareness of the importance of our industry.”

Photo Credit: indiana-farm-bureau