Agriculture in the Classroom: Program strives to connect students with agriculture

By Kathy Dixon

Three generations—that's how far removed most children are from the farm.

And because many children don't understand farming or its relationship to food, the Agriculture in the Classroom program seeks to educate elementary and middle school children about the industry.

"I wish we had something like this when I was teaching," said Pat Reese, chairman of the Halifax County Farm Bureau Women's Committee, which co-sponsored two AITC workshops for teachers this past summer. "Agriculture in the Classroom is a wonderful opportunity for children to learn how our food is grown and find out what farmers add to our quality of life."

AITC is a national program that has been taught in some Virginia schools for 16 years. The Virginia Foundation for Agriculture is ...