By CELESTE BAUMGARTNER
Ohio Correspondent

OXFORD, Ohio — As an FFA National Collegiate Agricultural Ambassador, Lauren Schwab will be giving programs to local community or organizational groups. She’ll be helping people understand the value and importance of agriculture in their lives, said Marty Tatman, FFA education specialist.

Schwab, a sophomore at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, learned about the program on the Internet. She contacted Tatman and he interviewed her about her goals – Schwab, who grew up on a hog farm and works there part-time, would like to have a career in agricultural broadcasting.

College students may take part in the ambassador program for two years. They are awarded a $1,500 scholarship and all of their expenses in giving the programs are paid.

After she was accepted into the program Schwab traveled to North Carolina for a week of training. She met the other ambassadors (there are 20 on the team), who were from all over the country.
“We visited our sponsors, who are BASF The Chemical Company, Syngenta, Elanco and Collegiate FFA,” Schwab said. “Their communications people gave us different presentation ideas and expressed the importance of what their company is trying to do to raise agricultural awareness.”

Next, the ambassadors had to develop their own programs and present them to the group. The presenters were given constructive criticism and feedback.

Now it’s up to Schwab to contact schools and organizations in the area to schedule programs. Ambassadors are encouraged to talk on topics with which they are familiar. She is comfortable giving programs on many agricultural topics to any age group – preschool to adult.

“We were encouraged to talk about topics that we are an expert in, and I consider myself an expert about the pork industry because I grew up on a hog farm,” she said. “I’d really like to promote that and also, I’d like to talk to students about agricultural careers because the agricultural industry provides so many jobs.”

Schwab is excited about the opportunities she will have to spread the word about agriculture, especially now that the majority population is growing more removed from the farm.

“There are children who may believe that their food comes from the grocery store and don’t know that an actual farmer grows it on their land or takes care of the animals to produce that food for them,” she said.

Tatman hoped that agricultural ambassadors might tell those children about the importance of a healthy diet, of calcium in their diet and where milk comes from.

“Or, working with an adult group, helping them understand some of the major agricultural issues that we’re facing or the value and importance of our technology and how that’s helping a growing world,” he said.

The program originated four years ago and the ambassadors have reached 41,000 people, Tatman said. A couple of ambassadors have gone overseas for schooling and have presented programs there.

“We, through our sponsors, are fortunate to have this group of 20 young people who are very passionate about agriculture and passionate about sharing the word and importance of agriculture to the different communities,” Tatman said.

To schedule a program in the Oxford area, contact Schwab by phone at 513-706-1741 or e-mail schwablm@muohio.edu

To schedule a program elsewhere or to learn about the National Collegiate Agricultural Ambassador Program contact Tatman at 317-802-4356 or e-mail mtatman@ffa.org