Farm to Plate, We Educate
4-H and Youth Programming
Lauren Butler
County Extension Director/ Livestock Agent
UF/IFAS Extension Okeechobee County
Okeechobee
Abstract
Okeechobee County, Florida ranks first in beef cattle and dairy production in the state of Florida, with over 185,000 head of cattle. These enterprises help make Okeechobee one of the top 10 agricultural producing counties in the state earning producers $257 million annually. Maintaining this industry requires knowledgeable individuals and motivated young people willing to enter this lifestyle. Objectives: The objectives of this program were 1) develop a program that reflects the needs of our community 2) provide educational opportunities that increase the knowledge and skill of the participants by at least 20%. Methods: We accomplished these goals by creating an agricultural youth day camp called “From Farm to Plate We Educate”. To accomplish our goal of education the majority of the activities were tours where we explored topics through agricultural operations, agricultural support industry operations (trucking and refinery), environmentally sensitive locations and market outlets of agricultural products. To enrich each of the tour stops we used experiential learning, hands-on activities, demonstrations, sensory demonstrations, observations and STEM activities before, during or after each location. Results: Over the course of the 3 years that this camp has been active, 56 students have indicated a 25% increase in knowledge gain in the areas of: dairy production, human nutrition, biological controls, beef and citrus production, and aquaculture. Another result of the camp is repeated funding, an indication we are reaching a need within the community as our funding comes from our Children Services Council which only funds youth events that are not occurring in similar capacities. Impact: Participants of this camp show an increase of 15% in awareness of agricultural production in Okeechobee County as well as in the state of Florida. Through the subjects and activities, not only did we educate kids on agricultural fields, but we also improved eating habits, educated them on food safety, career opportunities, and local food systems. Three participants also used their exposure to the specific agricultural operations to complete science fair projects relating to the agricultural commodity.
Authors: Lauren Butler, Colleen Larson
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Lauren Butler County Extension Director/ Livestock Agent, University of Florida , Florida, 34972
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Colleen Larson Dairy Regional Specialized Agent, University of Florida, Florida, 34974