School magazine features wheat

BISMARCK – North Dakota’s number one crop – wheat – is the focus of the latest issue of North Dakota Ag Mag, published by the North Dakota Agriculture in the Classroom Council.

"Wheat is and has always been king in North Dakota – its importance to our state cannot be underestimated,” said Agriculture Commissioner Doug Goehring. “This new issue of North Dakota Ag Mag is a fun way for our young people to learn how and why wheat is so important to us and to the world.”

The 8-page magazine is distributed free-of-charge to North Dakota third, fourth and fifth-grade classes that participate in the Ag in the Classroom program. A special teacher's guide providing background information and more ideas for learning accompanies each issue. The magazine can also be read online atwww.ag.ndsu.edu/agmag/wheat/agmag_wheat_web.pdf.

The magazine contains facts, games and activities. Articles in the new issue include “The Wheat Kernel and the Wheat Plant,” “Wheat Processing” and “Where Wheat Grows.” Jon Lee, owner of Bread Poets Baking Co. of Bismarck, is featured in “Career Corner.”

North Dakota Ag Mag is edited by Becky Koch and designed by Dave Haasser, both with North Dakota State University Agriculture Communication.

Sponsors of the new issue of North Dakota Ag Mag include Agassiz Seed & Supply, The Bismarck Tribune, Dakota Growers Pasta Co., Farm and Ranch Guide, Farm Credit Services, the North Dakota Corn Growers Association, the North Dakota Farm Bureau, the North Dakota Farmers Union, the North Dakota Grain Growers, the North Dakota Wheat Commission and the Northern Pulse Growers Association.

The North Dakota Agriculture in the Classroom program helps teachers integrate agricultural information into the science, math, social studies, language arts and other classes they teach. The program offers a variety of curricula and class lesson development materials, training seminars, a magazine and other tools for teachers to use to make agriculture part of the school day.

‘Food and Farm Facts’ – A Versatile Resource

The “Food and Farm Facts” book, grade-specific educator’s guides and related materials are versatile resources for anyone interested in agricultural advocacy and literacy, attendees learned at the American Farm Bureau Federation’s 93rd Annual Meeting. A 32-page book featuring color photographs and charts/graphs illustrating interesting facts about agriculture is the centerpiece of the “Food and Farm Facts” series produced by AFBF.

“‘Food and Farm Facts’ was developed with farmers and ranchers in mind,” said Cyndie Sirekis, director of news services at AFBF. “Farmers advocating about agriculture will find the ‘Food and Farm Facts’ book to be a helpful resource when starting conversations with consumers, many of whom have questions about how the food they eat is grown and where it originates.”

Book sections highlight how various foods are produced; agriculture’s shrinking environmental footprint; food consumption and safety; and historical highlights. A map poster showing where major crops and commodities are grown is included with each book.

“‘Food and Farm Facts’ should be in every classroom, boardroom and newsroom,” said Curtis Miller, director of education for the American Farm Bureau Foundation for Agriculture. “For the first time, we’re pleased to offer for sale bundles of various Farm Facts materials put together to help tell the story of agriculture to diverse audiences.”

Order items from the “Food and Farm Facts” series online at http://farmfacts.fb.org or http://agfoundation.org. Credit card payments are accepted.

Mary Kensock, an award-winning fourth-grade teacher from Fargo talks about her inspiration for teaching her children about the importance of agriculture.