With just over five percent of the population of Shelby County involved in agricultural production, there is a growing disconnect in the understanding of how food is produced and how it reaches the consumer.  To help bridge this gap, Ag & You Day was offered to 5^th graders in the Shelby County School system.

The Shelby County Extension Office partnered with our local Soil Conservation, Farm Bureau and the Shelby County Public School system to plan and coordinate Ag & You Day to 500 5^th grade students. The students were bused to the Shelby County Fairgrounds where they rotated through 21 different agricultural related stations. Twenty FFA students from both Shelby County and Collins High School acted as tour guides to help classes navigate through each rotation. Each station was taught by a local producer or volunteer knowledgeable in the subject matter. The station lessons lasted roughly 10 minutes and were conducted with a short activity, posters, games and a verbal lesson. Props and/or examples were also available for students to see. Station topics included: Dairy Cattle, Beef Cattle, Sheep, Goats, Pigs, Rabbits, Chickens, Horses, Crops, Fruit, Vegetables, Lawn Tractor Safety, Enviroscape, Farm to Fork, Fish & Wildlife, Making Health Food Choices, Vet Science, Bees, Rain Simulator, Emergency Management Services and Farm Equipment. Lunch was served to all in attendance which tied into the Farm to Fork station taught by the Shelby County Farm Bureau Women’s Committee. Students learned about the lunch they were having that day, where it came from and how it is was made.

In total 75 volunteers helped to make Ag & You Day successful. The presenters all volunteered their time to teach about their roles in agriculture.  Volunteers from three local banks, the Shelby County Extension Council, the Soil Conservation Board, and Shelby County Cattleman’s helped set up the facilities, cook and serve lunch to the participants.

At the conclusion of the event, the students received bags stuffed with agricultural related items and were given an evaluation to determine the impact of the program.  Ninety-two percent of the students indicated they had a better understanding of where their food comes from.  Over seventy percent plan to share information they learned with their families.  This event was a success, and plans are underway provide Ag & You to 5^th graders in the new school year.