Education opportunities elevate agriculture issues and importance
Reaching youths and students early increases awareness of the importance of agriculture and the critical issues impacting producers. Land-grant universities are creating solutions to address educational gaps, improve understanding critical issues like cyber-biosecurity and provide students with practical knowledge, skills and information for the future.
Here are a few examples of that work:
- Researchers in New Mexico recognized an opportunity for students in culinary arts and restaurant and hospitality management to expand learning about where the food comes from. A new program was developed that included five online courses and an in-person immersive summer workshop for high school culinary arts and hospitality instructors, with three cohorts participating in the program to date.
New Mexico Agricultural Experiment Station; Other USDA competitive. See full statement. - To help build a cyber-biosecurity workforce, Extension staff in Virginia established a cohort of seven education ambassadors and provided them with training during a design summit. The ambassadors collaborated with scientists to develop and pilot activities for middle-school aged youths, resulting in a comprehensive suite of educational resources designed to integrate cyber-biosecurity topics into formal and non-formal agricultural education.
Virginia Cooperative Extension. See full statement. - Nearly 50 North Carolina students and scholars spent a weekend competing in the fourth annual Hackathon, taking on real-world agricultural technology challenges related to sensors, artificial intelligence and more. The Hackathon was designed to help students develop critical interdisciplinary skills while gaining exposure to industry experts, building professional networks and enhancing their resumes with practical experience.
North Carolina Agricultural Research Service; Private grants & contracts. See full statement.
4-H Project Growth Creates Educational Opportunities for Producers
In Wyoming, 4-H programs and projects have sparked the interest of young members to start raising their own lambs and goats. With this expanded interest, educational programs are needed to address knowledge gaps. Extension educators developed the Lambing and Kidding 101 class for youths and any novice producers looking to expand their knowledge and improve practices.
University of Wyoming Extension; Smith-Lever. See full statement.
