P.R. war in america’s classrooms.

coming to us (and many of you, quite likely) via Comfood

Comfood Colleagues,

The “Nutrients for Life” nonprofit goal is to “…disseminate educational information to the general public, including policy makers, about fertilizers, modern agriculture and the role plant nutrients serve in improving people’s lives.”

This project, for just 3 states: The goal of the Helping Communities Grow chapter recognition program is to give FFA chapters the opportunity to help their communities become better informed about the positive role of plant nutrients, fertilizers and related agricultural issues through educational, community building and hands-on activities.

FFA Article

commentary?

Off the Farm, Into the City
By Judy Keen, USA TODAY

ST. LOUIS — Andre Hall lives in the city and has never plowed a field or fed a hog, but he proudly wears the blue jacket long associated with the organization once called Future Farmers of America.

Hall, 18, is among 30 high-school students who belong to the FFA chapter at Clyde C. Miller Career Academy here. FFA is part of the curriculum in the school’s biotechnology “pathway” that’s preparing him for a job in the agriculture industry.

“It’s something a lot of people wouldn’t expect for urban kids,” says Hall, who has fallen in love with plants and last summer helped his family plant their first vegetable garden. He plans to become a horticulturist and is an intern at Monsanto, a St. Louis-based seed company.

Read the full article HERE

here is a press release

any of you reporters out there want to cover the Rose Parade?
it’s not simply “farming” anymore.

The FFA will be featured on the 75-foot-long RFD-TV float in the Jan. 1 Tournament of Roses parade, saluting that organization’s role in developing careers for youth.

A feature before that date might be a timely way to remind everyone that agriculture today makes the best use of technological advances, and that FFA members are preparing for careers in the science, business and technology of agriculture.

Future Farmers of America & A Punky Contrasting Collective

Another side of the young farmers scene…

Future Farmers of America – Founded in 1928, the Future Farmers of America brought together students, teachers and agribusiness to solidify support for agricultural education. In Kansas City’s Baltimore Hotel, 33 young farmboys charted a course for the future. They could not have foreseen how the organization would grow and thrive. Since 1928, millions of agriculture students – no one knows exactly how many – have donned the official FFA jacket and championed the FFA creed. FFA has opened its doors and its arms to minorities and women, ensuring that all students could reap the benefits of agricultural education.

**And, they have a themesong!

And Sponsors! Including: Cargill, ADM, Dupont, Oscar Meyer, Smithfield, Bayer, and “platinum” sponsor, you guessed it – Monsanto.