That’s Natural!

Issue Statement

At the past Western SARE Conference in Albuquerque, there were several issue areas discussed – one of those was getting the youth involved in agriculture – teaching them from where their food comes, how it is raised and produced, and understanding the supply chain, including their purchasing selection as consumers.

There is a tragic lack of education within the school system when it comes to educating our youth about agriculture, the above-mentioned components of agriculture, and the deeply interrelated nature of our communities with the agricultural communities that surround and support them. Sometimes this relationship is can be followed in a concept termed “Farm-to-Fork.” Unfortunately, students and teachers do not always have the luxury of time and funds in order to fully develop the understanding of the this deep relationship, and we are suffering the consequences of poorly educated urbanization and fast-food entrenched decisions that negatively impact our dwindling farming communities as well as the overall health of our nation. Because agriculture is not a large part of the classroom, the crucial need for an educational component that shows the students the supply-chain of our food system is growing rapidly.

The effects to both the youth and the producers to have a program that allows these two groups of people to connect on the farm, learn about the processes, and be an active part of the Farm-to-Fork process are essential for the survival of the local farms that must continue in our communities. The students will someday become the purchasers and voters that will shape the community direction, and proper education is mandatory to ensure that successful community development can walk alongside the agricultural communities that helped found this nation. Relationships and deeper understanding of the producers will enable the consumers to support their neighbor producers before seeking sources from farther way areas. Additionally, these purchasers will decide to support the needs of the local producer when they understand the particular challenges that may arise. This relationship will continue to benefit both the producer and the student throughout their purchasing and producing years.

We are proposing to develop a curriculum for used in multiple elementary and middle schools in South-Eastern Colorado. This curriculum would be developed by our five producers and the other mentioned cooperators and through the coordination and relationship among community members and educators. This curriculum would be implemented in two classrooms per school and allow for the students to take various trips out to the producers’ land as well as be able to participate by growing their own produce, and being an active part of the agriculture operations. Funding for the curriculum must be sourced outside the school systems to allow for the fullest development of the programs unhampered by annual academic budgets already stretched thin. The development of the curriculum, and its expected success, will help herald in the opportunity for other schools to look again at reaching out to the local agriculture community and reignite the supportive and interdependent relationship that all communities – regardless of how urban or rural – are with their surrounding agriculture businesses. Everyone benefits from a curriculum that seeks to educate our youth in order to guarantee our legacy and endurance into the years to come.