ND Department of Agriculture Press Releases

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE FEBRUARY 28, 2008

Funding awarded for Ag in the Classroom programs

BISMARCK – The North Dakota Agriculture in the Classroom Council, meeting Wednesday, in Jamestown, approved four grants, totaling $55,000, for educational programs for 2008. 

“These are proven, successful programs that help young people, especially those from urban schools, understand the importance of agriculture,” said Kim Alberty, West Fargo, council chairman. “These programs also help students learn how to make better choices about the foods they eat.”

“Ag in the Classroom leverages a limited amount of money into outstanding programs that reach thousands of students and teachers,” said Agriculture Commissioner Roger Johnson. “It is very important, especially here in North Dakota, that we all understand where our food comes from and how it is produced.”

The four grants include:

• $33,000 to the North Dakota Farm Bureau Foundation to conduct Project Food, Land and People and other educational activities, and to send two teachers to the 2008 National Agriculture in the Classroom Conference.
• $14,000 to the North Dakota FFA Foundation to continue its mini-grant program.
• $4,500 to North Dakota State University Agricultural Ag Communications to publish three issues of North Dakota Ag Mag.
• $3,500 to the North Dakota Geographic Alliance to conduct on-farm teacher tours.

Agriculture in the Classroom programs help teachers integrate agricultural information into the science, math, social studies, language and other class lessons. Authorized by the North Dakota Legislature, it is funded with a legislative appropriation and by contributions.

In addition to Alberty and Johnson, council members include Superintendent of Public Instruction Wayne Sanstead, Bismarck; Doug Vannurden, North Dakota Department of Career and Technical Education, Bismarck; Judge Barth, Dakota Pride Cooperative, Jamestown; Ted Johnson, Kindred High School, Kindred; Mary Lou Klemisch, Prairie View Elementary School, New Salem; Ginger Deitz, Bennet Elementary School, Fargo; Steven Edwardson, North Dakota Barley Council; Shannon Berndt, Northern Pulse Growers Association; Gary Hoffman, North Dakota Dairy Coalition; Aggie Jennings, North Dakota Farmers Union, Washburn; Jill Vigesaa, Project Food, Land & People, Fargo; Mitchell Becker, FFA state president; Kathy Holle, North Dakota Department of Career and Technical Education, Bismarck; Ward Eichhorst,  North Dakota Farm Bureau, Coleharbor; Gail Scherweit, North Dakota Farm Bureau, Fargo; Kim Owen, EduTech, Valley City; Becky Koch, NDSU Communications, Fargo; Beth Bakke Stenehjem, FFA Foundation, Bismarck, and Marilyn Weiser, North Dakota Geographic Alliance, Minot.

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MEDIA: For more information, please call Ted Quanrud at (701) 328-2233 or tquanrud@nd.gov or Patrice Lahlum at (701) 239-7210 or plahlum@nd.gov.