Ag in the Classroom Awards Grants to Fund Ag Literacy Projects

The Wisconsin Farm Bureau Foundation's Ag in the Classroom program has awarded $6,000 to schools and organizations to expand agricultural literacy. Groups, schools and organizations can apply for up to $500 as part of the Ag in the Classroom's matching grant program to support a project, provided they have a source of matching funds.

2022 Recipients

Building a Food Forest, Independence – Growing Garlic: $500

'Building a Food Forest' is an educational and active learning program for 4K-12th grade students in the Independence School District. This program will create meaningful agricultural experiences to help improve the well-being of individuals by teaching students how to grow and harvest garlic.

Dodge County Dairy Promotion, Neosho – My Little Ag Library: $500

The My Little Ag Library project will bring quality agriculture books to fourth-grade classrooms. Each library will be stocked with different books representing all commodities in Wisconsin.

Easter Seals Wisconsin, Madison – ESW FARM Exploring Job Options in Rural Wisconsin: $500

Easter Seals Wisconsin's Exploring Job Options in Rural Wisconsin Program will allow students to think outside the box. Our mission is to educate students with disabilities about the vast agricultural career opportunities in Wisconsin. These classes will encourage students to see how their own interests could potentially fit in the agricultural industry. An education in agriculture fuels Wisconsin's biggest employer and largest industry.

Envision Greater Fond du Lac Agri-Business Council, Fond du Lac – Day on the Farm: $500

In May 2022, hundreds of kindergarten and first-grade students from Fond du Lac County will experience what happens on a Wisconsin farm. Students will interact virtually with high school students and will have access to farm animals, view what the animals eat and see how animals are cared for. As a token for participating in Day on the Farm, students will receive educational resource packets to share with others.

Girl Scout Troop 6217, Ripon – Student Farm Tours: $500

Students will participate in farm tours to help build awareness of the agriculture industry, make connections within STEM and discover career opportunities within agriculture.

Green Bay Area Public School, Elmore Elementary, Green Bay – Intro to Agriculture: $500

The introduction to agriculture will provide an agriculture foundation for urban youth in Green Bay who will have the opportunity to experience agriculture through books, experiments and hands-on projects.

Green Bay East High School FFA Alumni, Green Bay – Ag Unites Us All Summer School Program: $500

Ag Unites Us All summer school program will help students in an urban community learn about agriculture and where their food comes from. Students will participate in a variety of hands-on activities that will teach them about aspects of agriculture.

Luck FFA Chapter, Luck – Luck Pollination Station: $500

The Pollination Station project will be not only to plan a new pollinator garden to brin in native pollinators but to also restore the two pollinator gardens that are currently on school property.

St. Mary School Garden, Muscoda – Plant Diversity-Companion Planting: $500

The St. Mary School Garden is going to teach students about regenerative agriculture principles and practices. Students will focus on incorporating three regenerative ag practices of increasing plant diversity, using cover crops and minimizing disturbances to the soil.

Virtual Academy of Agriculture, Science and Technology, Sharon – Growing Aeroponically in the Classroom: $500

This project is taking growing plants to a whole new level. With a tower garden growing system, students will be able to grow plants year-round without soil using the growing technique of aeroponics.

Walworth County Fair Barnyard Adventure, Elkhorn – Historic Gardens: $500

The 173rd Walworth County Fair in Elkhorn in early September is 'ag-cited' to present its award-winning agriculture education program, Barnyard Adventure, highlighting its new feature, Historic Gardens in the Barnyard Adventure Barn. Fair guests will be inspired by viewing six new gardens featuring vegetables, flowers and herbs.

Yahara Valley Elementary School, Edgerton – Raised Garden Bed: $500

Yahara Valley Elementary students will use the raised garden beds purchased with funds from this grant to grow vegetables with short growing seasons, giving students hands-on experiences with planting and maintaining their own crops.

Farm Bureau's Ag in the Classroom program provides teachers and K-12 students with an understanding of how their food is produced. The program seeks to work within existing curricula to provide basic information on our nation's largest industry, agriculture. Wisconsin's Ag in the Classroom program is carried out by a network of local educators, volunteers and representatives from agricultural organizations and businesses. The goal of the program is to help students gain a greater awareness of the role agriculture plays in the economy and society, so that they may become citizens who support wise agricultural policies.