Dive Brief:
- Educators can use a variety of resources and activities to help students understand where their food comes from, the role technology plays, and how climate and other factors impact the agriculture business.
- One such avenue is to take advantage of free opportunities like Discovery Dairy’s Adopt a Cow program, which allows classes to digitally follow a cow’s life for a year. And while technology can deliver an agricultural experience to students who may not live in rural areas, educators can also encourage learners to get a little more hands-on by planting crops — even small ones.
- “Students may not work in agriculture in the future, but they make choices of what they will eat every single day,” said Christian Holmes, director of innovation and technology at The STEAD School, a charter school in Commerce City, Colorado, that focuses on science, technology, environment, agriculture and systems design.
Dive Insight:
The food industry today relies heavily on technology, from having drones monitor the state of crops on large-scale estates to using robotics to milk cows on dairy farms.
Holmes said classes at The STEAD School teach about the role technology plays in agriculture. “We also visit local hydro- and aquaponic farms, which shows us about their processes, and that’s a very cool experience.”
The school also emphasizes teaching students about the impact of climate change on agriculture.
School lunches are supplemented from what’s grown at the school and include seasonal options. Holmes added that the school doesn’t buy food that’s out of season so students can learn what’s available at certain times of the year and what isn’t.
Teaching students how to plant crops also allows them to learn about the journey food takes before it reaches their plate, along with options that may be better for the planet.
“If students know about how much water it takes in a desert in Arizona to grow the alfalfa to feed cows in a feedlot, and the problems that that presents, they may be less likely to eat as much meat,” Holmes said.
Ultimately, he said, getting students involved in hands-on activities is the best path to building their understanding of how technology is interwoven in the agribusiness.
“Ag education is best done when getting your hands dirty in the field, so that’s what we prioritize,” he said.