Manitoba’s Amazing Agriculture Adventure teaches students where their food comes from

Agriculture in the Classroom Manitoba held this three-day event south of Winnipeg

Agriculture in the Classroom Manitoba (AITC-MB) brought in about a thousand grade four and five students to participate in the annual Amazing Agriculture Adventure (AAA), which kicked off on Tuesday in Winnipeg.

Students experienced a real, live farm – which was a first for most – at Richardson’s Kelburn Farm and at the University of Manitoba’s Bruce D Campbell Farm and Food Discovery Centre, according to yesterday’s Steinbach Online article.

“Most of them had never been exposed to this,” Sue Clayton, AITC-MB executive director, said to Steinbach. “They’ve never seen farm equipment. They don’t know where their food comes from.”

Over the three-day event, and with the help of 200 volunteers, students learned about Manitoba’s commodities and livestock.

“At the Farm and Food Discovery Centre … Manitoba Beef Producers brought in cattle, Manitoba Chicken Producers had their trailer set up with meat chickens and Manitoba Egg Farmers had their brown and white layer hens on display.

After seeing these animals, “the students would walk over to our dairy barn where the Dairy Farmers of Manitoba showed them the different dairy cattle. Inside the Discovery Centre, (students visited) soil and environment stations. (Students) also (met) with the Manitoba Pork Council and learned about the pork industry,” Myrna Grahn, manager of the Food and Discovery Centre, said to Farms.com today.

AAA and other events of its kind help ensure that young people are aware of the agricultural industry. Agriculture is not part of the educational curriculum so it is valuable to have resources that teachers can access, said Clayton.

And Grahn explains the importance of ag experiences for students of all ages.

 “It is very important to have agriculture and food as part of the curriculum with the schools … because food is something everybody needs and eats. So, it is important to understand where our food comes from. It is important to know that the farmers and food processors take great care in producing safe (and) affordable food,” said Grahn.

The Amazing Agriculture Adventure was part of Farm and Food Awareness week. The event is organized by Agriculture in the Classroom- Manitoba, a charitable organization supported by sponsors and members who share the organization’s goal.