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Agriculture in the Classroom gets $953,000 in federal funding

Agriculture in the Classroom Canada (AITC-C) is receiving $953,000 from the federal government for its agriculture awareness and literacy programs.

Agriculture Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau announced the funding, coinciding with Canadian Ag Literacy Month, at the Canada Agriculture and Food Museum in Ottawa on March 24.

“Young people are key to ensuring future success of the agricultural sector. We must help them discover vast career possibilities from a young age,” Bibeau said. “I applaud the incredible work that Agriculture in the Classroom is doing to connect tomorrow’s leaders to the agriculture and agri-food sector and spark interest in this important work.”

The funding will be used for a new “I Am Agriculture” digital campaign, which features a website page, videos, and social campaign showcasing the agriculture industry; and will also support the second year of The Great Canadian Farm Tour beginning in April 2023. For six weeks, AITC-C will bring Canadian classrooms virtually into farms from coast to coast. The farm tours facilitate conversations between students and farmers to build trust, understanding, and excitement around where their food comes from.

“Our ongoing collaboration with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) has been critical in supporting our goal to inspire students across Canada to play a role in our country’s agriculture and food future,” said Sara Shymko, AITC-C acting executive director. “With this generous contribution from the AgriCommunication Program, AITC-C can bring this messaging into a farther-reaching, digital space.”

The funds are coming from AAFC’s AgriCommunication Program, which is a three-year, up to $8 million fund that was announced to support the federal government’s new national food policy in 2021.

AITC-C is a Canadian charitable organization with ten provincial member organizations that make up the Agriculture in the Classroom National Collective. AITC-C provides curriculum-linked resources for students at all grade levels.