Ag Awareness

Creating awareness in the agricultural industry can be as simple as knowing that agriculture produces the food we eat every day, or how science creates a new rust resistant grain or that technology is involved in using agriculture products to develop throat lozenges.

It is the responsibility of the agricultural industry to make this awareness happen. Who best to promote an industry but the people in it? There are a number of ways that this can be promoted.

One of the programs that Manitoba Agriculture, Food and Rural Initiatives has initiated is the AWARE Program (Animal Welfare Animal Rights Education). This program was designed to inform people about animal care issues and how to implement a strategy for dealing with these issues.

Another way to inform people about agriculture is displays at fairs, school classes, conferences, workshops, or any other event where people gather. These displays can be on a variety of topics - your imagination is your only limitation.

Some of the topics for which there are displays and which you could develop further include:

Search the Source - Take a number of products and find out from which agricultural product it is derived. For example, mascara from wheat, embroidery ribbon from milk, linseed oil from flax, lipstick from bees, etc. Manitoba Agriculture, Food and Rural Initiatives has a leaflet "Some See a Farm....We See an Industry" which contains a more extensive list of products.

Guess the Seed - Have a number of different grains in separate containers and have people feel the seed without looking and see if they can guess what it is. This can lead to a discussion as to what the grain is used for, what markets are available for the grain, or even how the grain looks in the field, or what colour its flowers are (e.g. yellow canola fields, blue flax fields, etc.). You can take this as far as you want to. A one-page "Seed Identification Chart" is available and includes pictures of grain in the field as well as the seed.

The Price is Right - Display pictures of machinery, buildings, seed grain, fertilizer, chemicals, etc. with prices on separate sheets. Have people match the price to the picture. This activity can develop into discussions and a new understanding of the inputs the agricultural industry demands.

Where in the World? - Match food products to countries where they are marketed. This can include the value of the product marketed and shows Manitoba's involvement in world markets as well as the contribution agriculture makes to the economy.

Grocery Scramble - This can be a fun activity for younger children. Display a number of food product containers and ask the children to pick out the food products that are from Manitoba. Be sure to include a couple of non-Manitoba products. This really is a good way to show the variety of foods we produce.

Pizza Pizzazz - A display with accompanying activities showing how Manitoba's agricultural industry is involved in making your pizza, from grain for the crust to the cheese on top.

Where's Agriculture? - This includes a number of activities and displays in a seek-and-find theme where connections from items we use every day are made to agriculture.  This is a good way to show the extensive range of food and non-food products dependent on agriculture.

And the list goes on!

For more information, contact:

Rural Leadership Specialist - Ag Curriculum
Urban GO Team
 

One of the organizations that is working in the school system to heighten the awareness of agriculture in Manitoba schools is called Agriculture in the Classroom - Manitoba. The organization provides a number of resources and services for teachers and students, including resource development that follows the province's curriculum. Many of the resources are developed through a variety of funding programs and provide much-needed information in a teacher-friendly package that can be used in classrooms. This organization also provides speakers and tours for classes on a request basis.

For more information about Agriculture in the Classroom - Manitoba, contact:

Johanne Ross, Executive Director
Agriculture in the Classroom - Manitoba
3977 Portage Avenue
Winnipeg, MB  R3K 2E8
Phone: 866-487-4029
Fax: 204-487-4757