Arkansas Farm Bureau Leads Efforts on Elementary Agriculture Education

Julia DeSalvo

AFBF Communications Intern

Bailey Corwine

Communications Manager

When county Farm Bureaus across Arkansas realized how few people understood where their food, renewable fuel and fiber come from, they set out to change the narrative, starting with the next generation.

Arkansas Farm Bureau adopted resolutions in their 2021-2022 policy development cycle to support the inclusion of agriculture education in the state's kindergarten through sixth grade curricula. From there, staff consulted with the Arkansas Department of Education's Division of Career and Technical Education, the state Legislature, and other stakeholders to determine how best to turn this idea into reality.

In 2023, the Arkansas General Assembly passed a measure, An Act to Create an Agricultural Education Pilot Program in Public Elementary Schools, establishing a three-year pilot program in schools statewide. The program aims to collect quarterly and annual data on integration and execution of the program curriculum.

The Pilot

The program's planning committee developed an application process to identify the public school districts interested in incorporating elementary agriculture education at their schools. In its first year, the program had 30 applicants, accepting 15 for participation. Schools of all sizes and from all areas of the state were represented, including those with urban and rural student populations.

Teachers from these districts came together at the Arkansas Farm Bureau office for a professional development workshop led by a representative from the National Center for Agricultural Literacy (NCAL) at Utah State University. Through contractual work with NCAL, grade-appropriate curricula were developed to provide a collaborative, three-component learning model comprised of instruction and inquiry, experiential learning, and opportunities for personal and leadership development.

NCAL developed 10 total lessons for each grade level. Lesson plans and content were designed to meet the Arkansas Content Area Standards set forth by the Department of Education's Division of Career and Technical Education. Standards for the program center around four domains: Agricultural Systems; Foundations of Agriculture; Leadership and Career Readiness; and Natural Resource Systems.

Curriculum development was funded by the Arkansas Farm Bureau Foundation and the rice, soybean, beef, wheat, and corn and grain sorghum checkoffs.

Class is in Session

Now in its second year, the pilot involves 27 schools across the state implementing agriculture curricula in various ways. Schools are encouraged to connect with their county Farm Bureau Women's Leadership and Young Farmer and Rancher committees to build a network of expertise and knowledge.

Some schools have incorporated this education into their classroom instruction once a week, while others have fully integrated agriculture in areas like math and science. One district even created a new position and hired a teacher to lead agriculture education, the first position of its kind in Arkansas.

The North Little Rock 6 Academy of Agriculture and Veterinary Sciences is participating for a second year. The school, in the heart of central Arkansas' urban area, aims to provide a robust agriculture education to its students who would otherwise have little to no introduction to the way our food, renewable fuel and fiber are produced.

Another school selected for participation is entirely virtual, creating a unique opportunity for students to learn about agriculture in an unconventional environment.

The Arkansas Elementary Agriculture Education Pilot Program is a testament to how grassroots advocacy can solve greater issues and cultivate a strengthened public perception of farmers and ranchers.

State Awards of Excellence

Arkansas Farm Bureau's efforts to institute elementary agriculture education were recognized with a 2026 Award of Excellence in the Engagement and Outreach category. The award was presented at the 2026 American Farm Bureau Convention in January in Anaheim.