Agricultural education

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Agricultural education is instruction about crop production, livestock management, soil and water conservation, and various other aspects of agriculture. Agricultural education includes instruction in food education, such as nutrition. Agricultural and food education improves the quality of life for all people by helping farmers increase production, conserve resources, and provide nutritious foods.

There are four major fields of agricultural education:

Elementary agriculture
Vocational agriculture
College agriculture
General education agriculture

Elementary agriculture is taught in public schools and deals with such subjects as how plants and animals grow and how soil is farmed and conserved. Vocational agricultural trains people for jobs in such areas as production, marketing, and conservation. College agriculture involves training of people to teach, conduct research, or provide information to advance the field of agriculture and food science in other ways. General education agriculture informs the public about food and agriculture.

1 In the United States
2 In other countries
3 See also
4 References
5 External links

[edit] In the United States

The chief sources of agriculture in the United States are:

[edit] High schools

High Schools in every state, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands provide vocational agriculture training for about 640,000 students yearly (1988). Most high school agriculture courses offer both classroom instruction and practical experience. For example, a student might raise a crop or an animal, work on a farm, or work for an agriculture business, such as a machinery dealer. Many schools offer adult education courses to help people improve their production, management, and computer skills.

[edit] Colleges and universities

Colleges and Universities award about 21,000 bachelor's degrees in agriculture each year (1988). About 6,000 other students receive a master's or doctor's degree (1988).

[edit] Land-grant universities

Land-grant universities award more than three-quarters of all agricultural degrees (1988). These state schools receive federal aid under legislation that followed the Morrill Act of 1862, which granted public lands to support agricultural or mechanical education. Land-grant universities have three chief functions:

Teaching.
Research.
Extension service.

[edit] Teaching

Colleges of agriculture prepare students for careers in all aspects of the food and agricultural system. Some career choices include food science and veterinary science, farming, ranching, teaching, marketing, management, and social services.

The Association for Career and Technical Education (ACTE) is the largest national education association dedicated to the advancement of education that prepares youth and adults for careers.

[edit] Research

Each land-grant university has an agricultural experiment station equipped with laboratories and experimental farms. There, agricultural scientists work to develop better farming methods, solve the special problems of local farmers, and provide new technology.

[edit] Extension Service

The Cooperative Extension System is a partnership of the federal, state, and county governments. This service distributes information gathered by the land-grant universities and the U.S. Department of Agriculture to farmers, families, and young people. County extension agents, located in most countries (1988), train and support about 3 million (1988) volunteer leaders. Agents and volunteers carry out extension programs through meetings, workshops, newsletters, radio, television, and visits.

[edit] Youth Organizations

Youth organizations involved in agricultural education include 4-H and National FFA Organization (FFA). Members of 4-H carry out group and individual projects dealing with conservation, food and agriculture, health and safety, and other subjects. The 4-H program in the United States is part of the Cooperative Extension Service and has about 5 million members (1988). More than just a club, the FFA is an integral part of the program of vocational agriculture in many high-schools, with about 490,017 FFA members(2004-2005). Local chapters take field trips and conduct projects to develop leadership, citizenship, patriotism and excellence in agriculture. The National FFA Organization is structured from the local chapter up, including local sections/districts, regions, state associations, and the national level. The FFA Mission is to make a positive difference in the lives of students by developing their potential for premier leadership, personal growth, and career success through agricultural education.

[edit] History

The rapid growth of agricultural education began during the late 1800s. In 1862, Congress created the Department of Agriculture to gather and distribute agricultural information. The Morrill Act, which provided the land-grant schools, became law that same year. The Hatch Act of 1887 gave federal funds to establish agricultural experiment stations.

Government support for agricultural education has increased during the 1900s. For example, the Smith-Lever Act of 1914 created what is now the Cooperative Extension System (1988). The Smith-Hughes Act of 1917 and the George-Barden Act of 1946 financed high-school instruction in farming. The Vocational Education Act of 1963 funded training in other fields of agriculture.

Agricultural science and education expanded after 1900 in response to a need for more technical knowledge and skill. This development led to the use of modern farming methods that required fewer farmworkers. Another major result of this change was the creation of larger farms and ranches. This development increased the need for more agriculture science and education.

[edit] In other countries

The history of agricultural education predates USA activities and derives from, the development of Scottish, Italian and German colleges. The land grant approach of the USA owes much to the Scottish system in particular. Changes in higher agricultural education around the world today are highlighting implicit approaches that have hampered development and exceptional advances that have fed the world. the process has been described in one text (below) which takes a global perspective.

Agricultural education in other countries resembles that in the United States. Canada has its own 4-H program. Agriculture Canada distributes information on new farming methods and maintains experimental farms, research stations, and research institutions throughout the country. In Australia, each state has several agricultural research stations and an extension service. Great Britain has a program of youth clubs called Young Farmer's Clubs that resemble 4-H. The Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations works to train people throughout the world in modern farming methods. The United States gives technical assistance to farmers in developing nations through its Agency for International Development (AID).

[edit] See also

[edit] References

World Book encyclopedia 1988
Agricultural Mechanics: Fundamentals and Applications by Elmer L. Cooper, Delmar Pubs., 1987
Agriculture in Our Lives: An Introduction to Agricultural Business and Natural Resources by Alfred H. Krebs, 5th ed. Interstate, 1984
Working in Agricultural Industry by Jasper S. Lee, McGraw, 1978
Methods of Teaching Agriculture by L. H. Newcomb, and others, Interstate, 1986.
Food Environment Education: Agricultural Education in Natural Resource Management, by Lindsay Falvey, 1966.