Educating Kids About Ag

In the moo-ed: Hillcrest students improve their agriculture literacy
Published: Monday, April 13, 2009

LAKE WALES - If you want 5- and 6-year-olds to listen to your Ag Day message, send someone in a cow costume.

About 225 Hillcrest Elementary students in Pre-K, kindergarten and first grade participated in the Florida Agriculture Literacy Day program recently. All eyes - and ears - were on the messenger Merry Moo, a costumed cow, who showed off Florida-fresh produce and helped students learn about the importance of their state's agriculture industry.

Representatives from Polk County Farm Bureau read the book "These Florida Farms!" and shared goodies with students, including juice from Florida's Natural, "Got Milk?" pencils and "Drink OJ" blinking buttons. Read More

I really enjoy highlighting some of the good things going on in agriculture. And probably one of the best things our industry can do is to work with our youth and teach them about food production and the people that do it. Many of these kids, like their parents, are growing up thinking that the grocery store shelves will always be full. Helping them realize that farmers and ranchers have this incredible responsibility to grow our food is important for them to learn. Congratulations to the Polk County Farm Bureau and everyone else who was involved for taking the time and making the effort to promote agriculture.