What is New Hampshire Agriculture in the Classroom?

            NH Ag in the Classroom (NHAITC )is part of a national effort to develop an understanding and appreciation of one of the nation’s major industries - AGRICULTURE.   We provide support and reinforcement for all educators in the task of helping young people develop an awareness and appreciation of the diversity of NH agriculture, it’s contribution to the state’s economy and a basic understanding of food production.

            For many reasons we have become an agriculturally illiterate society. With less than 2% of the population involved in food production, the general population is far removed from their food source.   This trend is having a dangerous and harmful effect on agriculture.   Up-to-date information provides students with a broader knowledge of how the food and fiber system works, allowing them to make intelligent decisions tomorrow.   There is little in our curriculum/text books about the modern food & fiber system.   NHAITC works to provide educators with the necessary background information and local resources to integrate agricultural themes into the curriculum.

Why is Agricultural Education important to New Hampshire?

     The mix of NH agriculture has changed over the years resulting in a diverse industry that encompasses many crop, livestock and specialty products.   NH agriculture contributes over $500,000 million to our state's economy which would need to be multiplied by the sales and service to farms, processing, transportation, and retailing to fully reflect the impact Ag has on our state's economy. In addition, farming provides the fields, pastures and meadows that buffer residential and commercial development and affords the views of hills, valleys and mountains.   Without land kept open by farming, there would be no greenbelt around our towns and cities and without farming; there would be no barns, silos or fields that gives our state special character.  

How Schools Get Involved?

     NHAITC materials can be integrated into any curriculum.   Multiple concepts and subjects are combined in lessons designed to maximize teacher time. At the same time, a practical approach to learning will bring the information to life for the students.   Using agriculture helps students realize that the concepts learned in schools have real life applications throughout their entire day, each and every day.   Our objective is to provide information, training and materials.

  

How Ag fits into the Curriculum?  

Geography - Ag tells a story of how climate, altitude, soil types and societal preferences influence what and where foods are grown.

Careers - Agriculture is one of the Nation's largest employers in many varied fields; plant & animal science, food production, public    policy, marketing, transportation, economics, nutrition, & environmental stewardship.

Science & Technology - From the invention of the cotton gin to biotechnology, food safety, and GIS, agriculture has changed science & technology in major ways over the past 100 years.

Nutrition & Health- The foods we eat meet our nutritional needs and affect our health, the way we grow and our ability to learn.  

Environmental Education: Conservation, environmental quality, natural resources are all critical to agriculture as production is dependent on these resources.

Political Science - Land use, biotechnology, environmental issues, and world food supplies are affected by legislation and public policy.

History - Ag issues or events as major influences in human history and literature, making possible the first settlers societies, to current world food issues.

Mathematics - Statistics and economics are covered using agriculture, providing for a myriad of real world mathematical problems.

Language Arts - Creative writing can be used to describe the benefits of agricultue, life on the farm, working in research and other fields,ag's role in history, and life without agriculture.   Ag literature provides excellent reading materials.