American Farm Bureau Foundation for Agriculture Awards $5,000 in Grants

Five $1,000 grants were awarded to county Farm Bureaus for their outstanding efforts in agriculture literacy. Funded by the White-Reinhardt Fund for Education, these grants are competitive. County and state Farm Bureaus can apply for these grants to expand their current agriculture literacy projects or create new ones. Many counties partner with local schools and educators to implement agriculture in their classrooms. From poultry photo ops to career fairs, Machinery Magic Kits and chicken coops, to classroom literacy programs, the county Farm Bureaus selected for the 2024-2025 White-Reinhardt School Year Grants are going above and beyond to educate students about agriculture.

Chesterfield County Farm Bureau, Virginia

Chesterfield County Farm Bureau is working on an egg-citing project! With hopes of expanding the educational reach of the poultry industry in their county, they are using their grant money to purchase a customizable “Poultry Photo Op” interactive trivia board. The board will include trivia questions about the poultry industry, hatching, chicken development, by-products, and more. Additionally, the board will include a photo opportunity. Chesterfield County hopes to use its new board at events, specifically its poultry tent at the county fair. With this new addition to the poultry tent, they are hoping for more interaction from 4-H members.

Holmes County Farm Bureau, Ohio

Holmes County works with its local high schools to expand its Life Skills Camp and Career Fair. The Life Skills Camp allows students to gain hands-on life experience that is not necessarily taught in the classroom. The Career Fair that follows the camp connects students with local businesses and potential employers. Holmes County highlights the many life skills and career opportunities related to the agriculture industry. 

Marion County Farm Bureau, Illinois

Marion County Farm Bureau is plowing ahead! They noticed a distinct need for education regarding farm machinery in the classroom. In collaboration with a local second-grade teacher, they will use their grant money to create “Machinery Magic Kits.” These kits include various books, lesson plans, and hands-on material that teachers can use to educate students about farm machinery free of charge. 

Oneida County Farm Bureau, Idaho

In collaboration with a local high school, Oneida County Farm Bureau is using their grant to start a poultry production facility at the school. After building the facility, students will oversee the care of the birds. The school hopes to raise meat chickens in the fall, with harvest taking place in December and laying hens in the spring. They hope to make this a cross-curricular effort, all while involving the community during harvest. 

Ottawa County Farm Bureau, Michigan

Ottawa County Farm Bureau partnered with the Agribusiness Talent Council to create the Spotlight on Ag Readers (SOAR) Program in 2023. This program exposes K-5 students to a variety of careers in agriculture. SOAR consists of a team of volunteers that visit classrooms across the county. These volunteers rely heavily on accurate ag reading materials. They hope to use their grant to expand on the current program by purchasing more books for the classrooms they visit. Talk about a farm-tastic idea!