Wondering What to Do for National Ag Day?
By Isabella Chism
Are you pressed for time and struggling to come up with ideas on how to celebrate National Ag Day (March 14) in your local community? Consider these ideas:
- Share on social media. Post a photo that shows what agriculture means to you – whether it’s the ingredients for your dinner, a rural field or a busy market. Use the hashtags #AgDay19 and #FoodforLife. Sharing links to the 2019 Ag Day Essay Contest Winners across your social media platforms is another great option. Find links to the winning entries in the written essay and video essay contest here: https://www.agday.org/2019-contest-winners.
- Organize a pizza party on a farm, in a classroom or at a mall. Explain how ingredients from kids’ favorite food come from farms and ranches and how each is processed and delivered to the grocery store or restaurant.
- Volunteer at your local school and plan a classroom activity to teach kids about the importance of agriculture. (Examples: make a compost bin for them to observe in their classroom or do an egg shell seed growing experiment.
- Encourage a local elementary school to designate a day during National Ag Week (March 10-16) to distribute quizzes and puzzles with school lunches. This might also serve as an opportunity to explain the connection between farms and mealtime. Your state’s School Food Service Association may be able to provide assistance. Or, with cooperation of the school, ask farmers or grocers to donate items (milk, ice cream, bread, burgers, etc.)
- Approach your local public library about organizing an exhibit. Books about rural communities, animals, farms, etc., could be part of a special section that encourages children to learn more about agriculture and how it affects their lives.
- Check out local farms or dairies in your area that offer tours and information about how they produce, sell and market their food. Visit with non-farming friends or family and round out the day by making a farm-to-table meal.
- Throw a cook-off party with friends. Try to incorporate ingredients your state is known for, i.e. pork, apples, almonds, beef, corn, etc
- Contact your legislator and remind him or her about the importance of supporting farm initiatives.
