National Ag Day on March 15th is about recognizing and celebrating the abundance provided by agriculture in the United States. One key to that abundance has been a steady supply of people choosing careers in the agriculture industry. Many people learned about those career opportunities in an agriculture program, whether at the high school level or beyond.
Agricultural educators not only expose students to opportunities in agriculture, they give those students the practical and academic skills they need to be successful – whether they’re going into the production, technology or science areas of ag.
However, agriculture programs are struggling to find qualified educators to fill open positions. National Teach Ag Day was started as a way for agricultural educators and advocates to celebrate the career of agricultural education and encourage students to consider a career in the field. This year, National Teach Ag day will fall on March 24th, the week after Ag Day.
“We are excited about our alliance with Ag Day,” said Ellen Thompson, National Teach Ag Campaign coordinator. “It’s a natural fit. Agricultural educators are in the classroom every day teaching students about the amazing industry that is agriculture. Teach Ag Day is about promoting our own amazing career and helping more students choose to become agricultural educators.
The National Teach Ag Campaign is an initiative to bring attention to the need for more agricultural educators in the United States. It provides resources for those who wish to help promote the profession of agricultural education as well as for those who are interested in learning more about a career in agricultural education. It is led by the National Association of Agricultural Educators. The campaign is sponsored by Landmark Nurseries and the CHS Foundation as a special project of the National FFA Foundation, and also by Delmar Cengage Learning.
To learn more about the career of agricultural education, visit www.naae.org/teachag.
