By DOUG GRAVES
Ohio Correspondent

COLUMBUS, Ohio — For the past decade many elementary school students in Ohio have taken an annual field trip to their county fairgrounds to learn what impact agriculture has on their lives.
The Ohio Livestock Coalition (OLC) wants to reach students at an early age, and in doing so has developed a package of educational materials for teachers, designed to teach all Ohio third-graders about the role that agriculture has in their lives.

The OLC calls its information packet For Your InFARMation.
“Many young people may not realize that Ohio livestock farmers play a major role in feeding Ohio, the nation and the world,” said David White, OLC executive director. “The free educational materials we have developed for Ohio’s third-grade classrooms will help students better understand where their food comes from, as well as the importance of safe, healthy, locally grown food.”

The InFARMation materials support key Ohio academic content standards for social studies, language arts, science and math. All the material can be downloaded free of charge at www.foryourinfarmation.com

The free instructional packet includes a comprehensive, three-day planning guide for the teacher, a colorful eight-page educational booklet and three comprehensive worksheets to reinforce key content and skills.

“Through these materials students will learn about farmers and the economy, livestock farming, keys to safe and healthy food, careers in agriculture and more,” White said.

Day One lessons teach students that the economy is based on the relationship between producers and consumers, and teaches the different types of farms in Ohio as well as various animals found on farms in the state. Students will learn about animal housing, feed and much more.

Day Two studies teach students how animals are cared for and how farmers keep food safe and nutritious, while Day Three lessons teach how food goes from the farm to the grocery store and restaurant. Careers in agriculture are discussed as well.

Students will learn about Ohio livestock, meat, dairy, vegetables, fruits and grains.

“The teachers will be happy to know that the lessons we’ve created will provide valuable reinforcement of Ohio academic content standards in key subject areas,” White said.

All three days’ activities include work in geography, economics, language arts, science and math.

“Ohio has more than 7,600 farms, and farming in this state and those farms utilize 14.5 million acres of land,” White said.
“Agriculture adds $93 billion a year to the state’s economy and is the state’s number-one industry. One in seven workers in Ohio has a job that is connected in some way to agriculture.

“We believe the ‘For Your InFARMation’ materials will help educate the next generation of Ohioans about the important role farmers play in their daily lives, as well as the agriculture industry’s substantial contribution to our state’s economy,” he added.
In conjunction with the launch of the materials, the OLC also is sponsoring a statewide essay contest for third-graders, with a due date in January 2010. The group will award a free, all-expense paid field trip to an Ohio livestock farm next May, to the winning essay writer’s entire class.

More specific information about the essay contest rules and submission deadline are available to your children at www.foryourinfarmation.com