After seven months in the ag science classroom, we finally started a unit on dairy production. And I have to say, these students had more knowledge of factual science than those screaming from the mountaintops about the dangers of conventional farming practices.

I always wonder what kinds of answers we will hear when we talk about the social aspects of science and food. At age 16, will they have firm preferences or opinions on organic versus conventional? Are they scared to eat food with GMOs? Are there any vegans in the group?

As we discussed an overview of the dairy industry, one student came right out and confessed that all he knew about the dairy industry was that he loves milk and has been drinking it and eating ice cream all his life. I came just short of hugging him and told him he was a great kid and that he needed to keep on drinking!

Another discovery I made was that none of them drink whole milk, except that one wonderful student. The rest of them drink 2 percent milk. Of course, I replied, “You don’t know what you’re missing. You all need to drink whole milk – you need it for brain development.”

When it came to the discussion of rbST, you would have thought I was speaking a foreign language, and I was elated. No one had ever heard of it, and when I explained what it was, suddenly two students spoke up with their own revelation.

“It’s science. It’s like the GMO thing; it’s science. We have been breeding plants for years, none of our food is the same as it was 100 years ago – it’s been improved through science.” That same student concluded, “It’s just that people want to blame every problem we have on the food we eat.”

I could not have been prouder of these students who were not parroting what they learned in ag science, but had come up with these conclusions all on their own. They had obviously thought about what they had learned and established their own opinion based on factual information and not emotion.

These students are future consumers. This is the kind of balanced discussion needed in every science class in the country, and the one way we can ensure these discussions will include sound science and not just emotional revelations is to have agricultural science included in every curriculum in every single school district.

I have advocated for this for years. Food is a matter of life and death. Doesn’t it matter as much as learning how to dribble a basketball, play an instrument or paint with watercolors?

The views and opinions expressed in this column are those of the author and not necessarily those of Farm World. Readers with questions or comments for Melissa Hart may write to her in care of this publication.