Devyn LeBlanc
reporter@greenepublishing.com
On Tuesday, Sept. 7, the Madison County Farm Bureau held its Annual County Youth Speech Contest. This years topic was “Agriculture impacts everyone's daily life. What are three effective ways to educate young people about agriculture?” Madison County's Future Farmers of America (FFA) participants Jessica Hasty and Bailey Hackle took first and second place, respectively. Hasty moved on to compete in the District competition on Thursday, Sept. 9, at the Jefferson County Extension Office. Although she did not place first or second, her speech still received high scores from the judges.
Hasty's response to this years topic was that hands on agricultural experiences should be provided to children and young adults. This makes them more likely to continue to learn about agriculture and become more involved. Hasty also stated that further knowledge on agricultural production, such as farm-to-table processes, should be provided as well as offering access to higher levels of agricultural education to young children through agricultural organizations.
Hackle responded to the topic with some similar opinions. She stated that she feels as though children should be met with agricultural education opportunities at school through lesson plans and small gardens that will be cared for by the students. She also stated that educational opportunities can be made accessible at home by taking care of pets and encouraging parents to have conversations with children about the farm-to-table processes. Lastly, Hackle stated that educational opportunities can be given through first hand experiences, such as taking field trips to local farms.
If you are interested in learning more about the youth programs through the Madison Farm Bureau, please call (850) 973-4071