Ag News
Georgia Foundation for Agriculture receives USDA grant
Posted on Aug 09, 2023 at 0:00 AM
The Georgia Foundation for Agriculture (GFA) is among 103 organizations recently selected to receive funding through the Patrick Leahy Farm to School Grant Program administered by the USDA Food & Nutrition Service (FNS). The GFA is receiving $99,999 to help cover the cost of sending its Georgia Ag Experience (GAE) mobile classroom to elementary schools across the state.
The USDA FNS Farm to School Grants support projects that create opportunities for children to learn about nutrition and agriculture through hands-on learning. Impact studies of the GAE mobile classroom show that 60% of the students who tour the classroom express a desire to eat food grown in Georgia after learning about Georgia agriculture. The studies also show that five schools the mobile classroom visits each year will develop plans to incorporate locally grown food in their classrooms or meal service.
The GAE mobile classroom, housed in a 36-foot trailer, gives third through fifth-grade students a chance to virtually visit a poultry, beef & dairy, timber, cotton and peanut farms. The mobile classroom also highlights Georgia’s fruit, vegetable, pecan, and horticulture sectors.
Colorful farm photos, interactive technology and displays of consumer products made from ag commodities housed in the GAE mobile classroom highlight the importance of Georgia agriculture to our daily lives. Students also learn about ag-related careers. All exhibits and lessons that are part of the GAE mobile classroom have been professionally designed to meet state STEM curriculum standards.
Teachers conduct one educational lesson with their students about Georgia agriculture before and after touring the mobile classroom. As part of the mobile classroom visit, students participate in a hands-on activity with GFA staff and county Farm Bureau volunteers.
The Georgia Ag Experience has been visiting schools statewide since 2021. Since then, the mobile classroom has reached 30,778 elementary students, 1,762 teachers statewide and 8,793 consumers. More information about the Georgia Ag Experience and instructions for arranging a visit are available at www.georgiaagexperience.org.
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