Old MacDonald's Farm:
Agriculture Resources for
K-8 Teachers
by
Dr. Patricia Stohr-Hunt
University of Richmond
Why Teach About Agriculture?
Today, only 2 out of every 100 Americans work in production agriculture. This small but very important group of people meets the food and fiber needs of millions of Americans, as well as many people abroad. Consider these important facts:
- Today approximately 2.19 million farms dot America's landscape.
- Agriculture and its related occupations form our nation's largest industry.
- Agriculture generates billions of dollars each year.
- About 17% of U.S. raw agricultural products are exported yearly.
- One-fourth of the world's beef and nearly one-fifth of the world's grain, milk, and eggs are produced in the United States.
As fewer and fewer people have close contact with farming, they are less aware of their dependence on agriculture. Given the major role that agriculture plays in our society, our students must become agriculturally literate so that in the future they will be able to make informed and responsible decisions regarding this important American industry.
This page provides a variety of links for exploring and enhancing concepts and skills in teaching students about agriculture.
