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Ag for Life hosting its first Agriculture Education Teachers’ Symposium

Ag for Life hosting its first Agriculture Education Teachers’ Symposium

Event is scheduled for November 24 in Cochrane, Alberta

By Diego Flammini
News Reporter
Farms.com

An Alberta-based organization dedicated to expanding agriculture’s reach is hosting an event designed to help teachers have a better understanding of how to teach agriculture in their classrooms.

Ag for Life is hosting its first ever Agriculture Education Teachers’ Symposium on Nov. 24 at the Cochrane RanceHouse in Cochrane, Alta.

The event is open to teachers from kindergarten all the way to grade 12. It will feature a variety of guest speakers and breakout sessions for attendees to participate in, all in the name of ag education.

And having an event like this is almost as important for the teachers as it is for their students, says Luree Williamson, CEO of Ag for Life.

“Agriculture education is so important and it’s important to have relevant information available to teachers and students,” she told Farms.com. “Many teachers didn’t grow up on a farm, aren’t connected to agriculture and don’t know where to go for information. This event can be a one-stop shop where they can learn about a variety of different topics and how to integrate agriculture into their classrooms.”

Currently, agriculture is not part of the provincial curriculum, but another provincial ministry is lending its support to the symposium.

“We’ve had conversations with the Agriculture Minister (Oneil Carlier), and he was very pleased to hear of the event and very eager to help in any way we needed,” she said. “Since agriculture isn’t part of the curriculum it’s important for the industry to help make resources available.”

The information gathered by the teachers during the symposium can go a long way to shaping a student’s career path, Williamson says.

“These students are our future consumers, farmers and members of the work force,” she said. “They’re driving changes we may or may not see in the ag industry so it’s important we provide them with all literacy we can.”

The Agriculture Education Teachers’ Symposium is scheduled from 8:45 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. at the Cochrane RancheHouse, 101 RancheHouse Road, in Cochrane, Alta.

The cost for attendees is $100 and educators can register for the breakout sessions that fit their needs.

A full list of speakers and event schedule can be found below:




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In the vast prairies of Alberta, Olds College’s Field Crop Development Centre (FCDC) stands as a beacon of innovation and research in the agricultural world. The institution has become a key player in advancing agricultural technologies and practices. The FCDC’s commitment to applied research has driven them to seek effective means of disseminating their findings and creating a positive impact on the farming community.

One such avenue that aligns with their mission is AgSmart, an event dedicated to showcasing cutting-edge agricultural technologies. The coming together of the FCDC’s annual Field Day and Ag Smart has proved to be a natural fit, fostering a synergy that benefits both parties and propels the agriculture industry forward. The FCDC Field Day took part in conjunction with AgSmart for the first time this week on Aug. 1-2 in Olds, Alta. FCDC Program Director Kofi Agblor and Olds College VP of Development Todd Ormann sat down for an interview with Marc Zienkiewicz to discuss the significance of the two events taking part together and what the future holds.

The Intersection of Research and Technology The essence of the FCDC lies in its dedication to plant breeding and new seed varieties, particularly barley and triticale. While conducting research is essential, it becomes meaningful when its benefits are shared with the wider community. This is where AgSmart steps in, providing a key venue for the FCDC to showcase their research. This union between research and technology creates a holistic and enriching experience for farmers, ranchers, and industry professionals, the pair said.

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The Birth of a Powerful Alliance The idea of joining forces emerged when staff realized the potential synergy between AgSmart and the FCDC Field Day. With just a few days separating the two events, a proposal was put forward to merge them. The marketing and communications teams from both sides worked seamlessly to ensure the essence of both events remained intact, creating a powerful alliance that leverages the strengths of each, Agblor said.

Driving Advancements in Breeding For Agblor, the partnership with AgSmart has tremendous potential to drive advancements in breeding and other technology. With technologies like drones and imaging becoming integral to phenotyping, breeding is no longer confined to vast fields to assess thousands of plants manually. Instead, it benefits from the data-rich insights brought about by smart technologies. These advancements make breeding more efficient, precise, and instrumental in shaping the future of agriculture.

Overcoming Challenges Together While the partnership between Olds College and Ag Smart has been a resounding success, there are challenges on the horizon. Securing stable funding for long-term breeding initiatives is crucial to sustain progress. The college is committed to navigating these challenges and investing in agriculture’s future sustainably, Agblor said.

 

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