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Grassroots |
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| The Voice of New York Farm Bureau |
January 2007 |
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County Farm Bureaus honored for ag education efforts Schuyler County Farm Bureau received New York Farm Bureau’s 10th Annual Promotion and Education award. The award is given to recognize local efforts to promote agriculture and educate communities about the source of their food and fiber. The program in Schuyler County targeted sixth grade students and spanned the entire school year. Beginning with a fall visit to Hoffman’s Dairy in Odessa, agriculture was integrated into lessons in math and science. Students tested the pH level of the soil and learned about soil conservation. They learned that operating a farm requires a wide variety of complex business skills. Aerial photographs of the farm taken from a helicopter were made into posters which were used back in the classroom. A return visit to the farm built upon the knowledge gained through the school year and reinforced the lessons learned about agriculture. Genesee County Farm Bureau’s SMART (science, math, agriculture, and related technology) project was recognized by the National Farm-City Council, a non-profit organization dedicated to enhancing the linkage between farm families and urban residents. The SMART Center Mobile Unit has become a vital teaching tool at school and community events. Hands-on, interactive activities were developed to ensure that the more than 5,000 annual visitors leave with a keen understanding and appreciation of the process that provides them with an amazing array of food. In addition to visiting all 13 public schools in Genesee County, the mobile unit visited pre-schools, farmers’ markets, and many other community events. It is also available outside of the county for a moderate fee. Oswego County’s “Safety Day” also received recognition from the Farm-City Council. The program is a hands-on learning approach to safety education and accident prevention. More than 600 fifth grade students from five school districts in Oswego County participated, rotating through 25 different learning stations. Lessons covered a wide variety of topics, including ATV and snowmobile safety, electrical hazards, and both large and small animal safety. While farm safety is important for students who live on the farm, it’s also important for their rural neighbors. Statistics show that more than half of the children injured on farms each year are just visiting.
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