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Agriculture is big business in Pennsylvania. Not only does it have an enormous economic impact, but human lifestyle depends on not only sustaining but expanding the agricultural industries. Yet not every school district in the commonwealth incorporates agricultural education in its curriculum. On today’s episode of Keystone Education Radio, host Annette Stevenson speaks with Oley Valley Future Farmers of America advisor Kacey Rice and the Pennsylvania Future Farmers of America current state secretary Jessica Herr and learns just why teaching younger generations and getting them interested in agriculture is so vital economically and from a sustainability standpoint. Oley Valley’s FFA programs are also highlighted on SuccessStartsHere.org. Read the stories here and here.
Skip to: 01:26 Would you start by telling us a little about the agricultural classes being taught in Oley Valley?
“Agriculture is such a wide and broad field that encompasses so many facets that ag education has something for everyone.”
Skip to: 03:58 What I wanted to know a little bit more about from that story is the hydroponics garden and what the students are doing with the produce, as well as the newly initiated, you mentioned the vet tech classes, so how does that all fit together?
“It definitely gets put to good use and then the students get that learning experience as well.”
Skip to: 06:48 Can you talk about the three-tiered education model that FFA embodies?
“And so all three of those play off of each other to give students a well-rounded background that's going to prepare them for future careers in the industry.”
“We really like to talk about this leadership development for students . . . which is what I think makes FFA and agricultural education as a whole is so unique, and we're preparing our students for life after high school.”
Skip to: 09:56 What do you see as the benefits of implementing agricultural curriculum in public school education?
“And by having ag education, we're preparing students to enter into that career field. Agriculture is the number one industry in Pennsylvania, in the United States and truly in the world, because it supplies us, every single one of us as a human being, with our basic needs.”
“So again, thinking from an economic impact standpoint, agriculture is huge, and we need students to be entering into this type of careers so that we can supply the food, the fiber, the fuel resources, whatever it might be for our growing population.”
“Agriculture is going to be at the forefront of continuing the lifestyle that we have here in the United States and across the globe.”
Skip to: 12:19 How would a school district go about implementing FFA curriculum in their schools? What suggestions would you have?
“Reach out to other schools that have ag education. Our ag teachers are also a great resource. We will help other districts and share what we're doing.”
Skip to: 13:58 Are there any K-12 initiatives that PA FFA offers prior to that age frame?
Skip to: 16:26 What were some of your experiences with FFA during your time in high school?
“I think I never truly understood the importance of the agricultural industry until I got to high school and I had experience in FFA, and really my eyes were opened to what that looks like.”
“And I love this industry, the agricultural industry, because of the community that I found within it. And so this year as a state officer, I really had the opportunity to be that community for other members.”
Skip to: 18:23 What are your duties as the state FFA secretary?
“We're also advocates for the agricultural industry.”
Skip to: 20:26 You've mentioned National Ag Day which I understand is M...
