**** CNS Media Release
Agriculture Literacy Month Connects Students With Their Food
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Nova Scotia students will learn about the importance of agriculture during Canadian Agriculture Literacy Month, which begins today, March 1.
The month aims to connect students with agriculture professionals through the Agriculture in the Classroom program. The program offers hands-on activities for students to learn about where their food comes from, the importance of locally grown food and careers in the agriculture industry.
“Teaching the importance of agriculture helps kids better understand the world around us. Everything we eat and the clothes we wear all come from agriculture,” said Agriculture Minister Greg Morrow. “Meeting people in the industry, participating in interactive educational activities, or going to a farm will motivate the next generation of farmers and encourage kids to learn more about where their food comes from.”
Teachers can apply any time for free programs and resources from Agriculture in the Classroom. There are resources that support curriculum outcomes at every grade level.
This year, 78 volunteer farmers, Dalhousie University staff and students, and other agricultural professionals will visit 195 classrooms across the province to share stories about their careers and agriculture, and help students learn about the importance of locally grown food.
Quotes:
“Canada’s Agriculture Literacy Month is an excellent opportunity to show young people where our food comes from, as well as the essential and fascinating work of those who produce it. Thanks to partners like Agriculture in the Classroom Canada, we can provide teachers with tools, programs, and teaching materials to help entice the next generation to choose one of many career options available within the agriculture and agri-food sector.”
– Marie-Claude Bibeau, federal Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food
“I have volunteered with Agriculture in the Classroom since it started in Nova Scotia, and I look forward to the program each year. Engaging with students and sharing what we do on our farm sparks student interest. In past years, we have made butter with the kids, and it is something they enjoy. It is rewarding and important to connect students with where their food comes from.”
– Geneve Newcombe, Cornwallis Farms Ltd., Port Williams
Quick Facts:
— Canadian Agriculture Literacy Month, which started in 2017, grew out of Nova Scotia’s Agricultural Literacy Week, first held in 2009
— 121 schools and 4,466 students are registered for literacy month activities this year
Additional Resources:
Agriculture in the Classroom Canada: https://aitc-canada.ca/en-ca/
Agriculture in the Classroom – Nova Scotia: https://novascotia.ca/programs/agriculture-in-the-classroom-programs/
