AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION
in Wisconsin
Who we are
• Ag Ed is a school-based program that
prepares youth for careers in agriculture
• Three components – Class, FFA and SAE
• For nearly 100 years we’ve used STEM
(Science, Technology, Engineering and
Mathematics) initiatives and 21st century
teaching and learning principles
Class
• All done through an innovative
local, state and national support SAE FFA
system that nurtures student
development
Who we are
Nearly 100 Years of Progress
Beginning

Present
Classes cover farming topics

Classes cover all aspects of food, fiber and
natural resources
FFA offers competitions

FFA offers leadership development
SAE projects include livestock,
crops, machinery, etc.

SAE projects include ag production,
research, communications, landscaping, etc.

Wisconsin Agriculture
• Ag is a broad-spectrum industry with diverse career and
job opportunities. Only a small percentage of people
working in the agricultural industry are involved in
production agriculture.
• Wisconsin’s diverse ag industry weaves through our
communities culturally and economically
• Natural resources, animal welfare and food safety,
quality and affordability are daily topics of mainstream
media and conversations
• Ag Ed equips students with all sides of these issues as
they relate to social, environmental and economic
sustainability
Wisconsin Agriculture
• Students are challenged to take initiative and approach
matters with creative solutions.
• The rate of increase in agricultural productivity is lagging
the world’s growing needs by 25 percent annually
• “We need to do more with less and we must start
implementing measures and policies that increase
productivity today,” said Bill Lesher, executive director of
Global Harvest Initiative
• We must cultivate our human talent to lead this effort
from all aspects of the industry
Classes
• Delivered by certified ag teachers who
stay up-to-date on the rapidly evolving,
global ag industry
• Many courses are cross-walked with core
subject matter, and Assembly Bill 236
allows for approved agriculture courses
to earn science credits
• Without FFA or SAE, the class instruction wouldn’t prepare
well-rounded, college- and career-ready students
• Without the class instruction there would be no content
knowledge basis upon which FFA and SAE are built
Classes
SAE
FFA
FFA
• FFA is a national organization of
over 523,000 members
• Most well-known component of
Ag Ed because if its highvisibility contests, awards, conferences, programs and of
course… the blue corduroy jacket.
• Without class and SAE there would be no knowledge and
skill basis for which the FFA could offer competitions or
award programs
• Without FFA life and career skill attainment would be
moderate
Classes
SAE
FFA
SAE
• Exclusive to the ag discipline and is
arguably the linchpin of Ag Ed
• SAE engages students in an
experiential learning project that can
be entrepreneurial, research-based or
employment-based
• Without class and FFA there would be no opportunity for
students to grow their base knowledge or compete for
recognition of their SAE program
• Without SAE the knowledge and skills attained would not
be as deeply engrained
Classes
SAE
FFA
Why Ag Ed
• Ag Ed is a key component of the Wisconsin education
system and enhances the social, economic and
environmental well-being of the state
Classes  Technical Knowledge
+
FFA  Life and Career Skills
+
SAE  Hands-On Application
=
College and Career Ready Individual
• The focus is on ag, but many of our graduates are
successful in careers beyond the agriculture industry
Why Ag Ed
For Student Success
• Today’s students – regardless of previous achievement
level, personal backgrounds or learning styles – thrive in
the environment and culture of Ag Ed
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
Academic success
Life and career skills
Innovative instructional delivery
Real-world experience and application
Learning beyond the school building
Career path
Student-to-student mentors
Student-adult mentorship
Collaborative support structure
Why Ag Ed
For Superior School Environments
• Ag Ed enhances traditional school environments by its
spirit and culture of collaboration, unity and student
achievement
– Partners in Active Learning Support (PALS)
– Ag Literacy Programs
– “Green” projects
Why Ag Ed
For Stronger Communities
• Ag Ed has been creating engagement between
communities and the education system since its beginning.
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
Local food pantry assistance
Community supported agriculture (CSAs)
Ag literacy programs
Community beautification projects
Clean-up projects
Returning home-grown knowledge and talent
Students awards winners build community pride and unity
Community members as guest speakers in classrooms
FFA Alumni involvement creates a collaborative team approach
SAEs encourage interact with local residents and business people
Why Ag Ed
For Agricultural Sustainability
• The agriculture industry is a rewarding field of work and continues to
demand more talented people to fill positions at all parts of the broad
spectrum of careers.
• USDA estimates a growth of 5 percent of jobs in agriculture, food
and natural resources from 2010 to 2015
• Employers strongly prefer graduates from colleges of ag and natural
resources, but there will only be enough graduates in these areas to
fill 53 percent of the positions
• Top seven fields with largest percentage of growth:
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
Biochemists and Biophysicists – 37.4
Veterinarians – 33.0
Environmental Engineers – 30.6
Market Research Analysts – 28.1
Environmental Scientists and Specialists, including Health – 27.9
Public Relations Specialists – 24.0
Management Analysts – 23.9
Our network
• Unique feature of Ag Ed is that each student is supported by a
network of staff, volunteers, donors, industry partners and other
allies at the local, state and national levels
• Link that fastens the student to this network is the local certified
ag teacher
• Local ag teachers use this support system on a daily basis for
the betterment of their students
• Through their relationship with their teacher, students receive
top-notch, cutting-edge instruction, access to many different
adult and peer mentors and advisors, state and national
programming resources, global awareness and connectedness
through interactions with peers from other parts of the state,
country and beyond and much, much more
Conclusion
Agricultural education prepares students
for successful careers and a lifetime
of informed choices in the global
agriculture, food, fiber, and natural
resources systems.
Class
SAE
FFA
Thank you!
Resources
• Global Harvest Initiative’s 2010 GAP Report™ http://www.globalharvestinitiative.org/Documents/PR%
2010.13.pdf
• USDA Report – “Employment Opportunities for
College Graduates
in Food, Renewable Energy, and the Environment” United States, 2010-2015 http://www.ag.purdue.edu/USDA/employment/Pages/d
efault.aspx
• National FFA Website – www.ffa.org
• Wisconsin FFA Website – www.wisconsinffa.org
• Partnership for 21st Century Skills Website www.p21.org