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Ag industry supporting future teachers

An agriscience education advocate says increased support of ag education by the industry is providing enrichment for teachers.

Project Director Ellen Thompson for the National Teach Ag campaign tells Brownfield ag groups including agribusinesses, commodity organizations and other entities are stepping up to support the needs of agriscience teachers.  “They know that those ag teachers are the ones that making all of those opportunities possible for young people and that a quality ag teacher is the heart of an ag program.”

She says public/private partnerships with universities have resulted in new ag education centers, student loan forgiveness programs and study experiences for agriscience majors.  “A lot of institutions are trying to create new and unique experiences to make the ag ed major more like the place to be.”

Thompson says the ag teacher shortage is the responsibly of everyone and employers are starting to recognize the need to support the pipeline of talent that they may need in the future.

AUDIO: Interview with Ellen Thompson