About the Foundation for Agriculture

The mission of the American Farm Bureau Foundation for Agriculture is to initiate and finance agricultural education and research projects of regional and national interest that have an impact on both the present and future of American agricultural production.

The Foundation's ongoing theme is "Securing Our Future," reflecting the primary goal of supporting a viable agricultural industry. The Foundation for Agriculture works with state and county Farm Bureaus as well as other organizations and individuals to raise funds that support:

• sound, science-based research aimed at immediate needs of U.S. agricultural producers and
  
  
• educational programs and materials about the food and fiber system for nationwide distribution.

The largest base of financial support for the Foundation comes from individual Farm Bureau members nationwide. Another major source of contributions is the state and county Farm Bureaus that designate the Foundation in their budgets. A third source of support is corporations and foundations.

Agricultural Education Department

Given the decreasing farm population and widespread lack of understanding among consumers about the sources of their food and fiber, agricultural education is vitally important to the future of farming and ranching. The American Farm Bureau added the Agricultural Education Department to the Foundation in 1998 to enhance the organization's role as a national leader in teaching the public about agriculture.

The Agricultural Education Department's overall goal is to enhance Farm Bureau's effectiveness in agricultural education by developing programs and materials for educators, students and consumers about the sources of our food, fiber and shelter. The Foundation makes resource materials available at cost for use in programs such as Agriculture in the Classroom.

Task Force on Agricultural Education

The Task Force on Agricultural Education serves as an ad hoc advisory group to the Director of Agricultural Education. The 10-member group is made up of Farm Bureau volunteer leaders appointed from each region of the nation.

The Task Force met initially in November 1998 to identify innovative ways of getting information about today's agriculture to as many audiences as possible. One spin-off from ideas generated by the Task Force is the Faces of Agriculture, a colorful folder and poster showing people engaged in the production, processing, distribution, marketing and servicing of food and fiber products. The educational packet is intended to create awareness among school children of what it takes to bring people their daily bread and other life-sustaining products. It puts human faces on the people who produce the food and fiber for our nation. The packet can be ordered on-line in the Resource Materials section.

Members of the Task Force on Agricultural Education:

Maxine Arey, chair (Virginia)	Jenn Grant (Maine)
Maxine Bell (Idaho)	Dennis Hellwinkel (Nevada)
Pat Boughton (Ohio)	Bonnie Schuessler (Nebraska)
Linda Davis (Tennessee)	Debbie Jacobsen (California)
Kathy Fogerson (Illinois)	Judi Whittaker (New York)