Michigan Farm Bureau commends the Michigan Department of Education (MDE) Office of Career and Technical Education on its support and recognition of food and agriculture as a greater than $100 billion industry in the state through the adoption of the Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources Cluster. This cluster enables future agriculture leaders to obtain foundational knowledge helping shape their careers and promote the sustainability of the agriculture industry.
Michigan’s 100 plus Agriscience, Food and Natural Resources Education (AFNRE) programs and FFA programs are important to the future success of Michigan agriculture. These programs develop future leadership in the agriculture industry and many programmatic and leadership opportunities for non-farm students to learn about and understand agriculture, natural resources and the environment.
AFNRE and Michigan FFA chapters have been supported for years by local school districts, added-cost funding administered by the MDE, federal Perkins dollars, and FFA Foundation funds, including the Glassbrook FFA Endowment. These appropriations are essential for public school districts to retain AFNRE and the FFA as program priorities, and as an incentive to expand these programs into other school districts.
We support:
- Expanding and creating new junior high/middle school and high school AFNRE programs and FFA chapters as vital tools for educating young people, providing career and technical training and development of leaders to work in careers related to Michigan’s agricultural industry.
- Agriscience and natural resources courses fulfilling the criteria and being recognized as a science credit by all high schools, colleges and universities in Michigan.
- Providing regional administrators, local district superintendents, principals and counselors information on AFRNE curriculum requirements so they can encourage student participation.
- The MDE adequately funding AFNRE and career and technical student organization programs to provide educational and career opportunities in agriculture and natural resources because added-cost funding available is declining.
- Retaining the word agriculture in the Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources Career Cluster title.
- Reporting information regarding graduates, or completers, from agriscience and natural resources programs within the state to increase added-cost funding for each student enrolled.
- Instructors taking an active role in the information gathering and reporting process.
- MFB and county Farm Bureaus assisting in state and local FFA activities.
- FFA alumni associations and their efforts to strengthen agriscience and natural resource education across the state and nation.
- AFNRE emergency certification programs and hiring retired ag teachers to fill these positions without retirement penalties, due to the lack of qualified people available to lead these programs.
- Considering student loan payoff or scholarship programs to help promote AFNRE programs through private or public partnerships.
- Continued activities of private and public companies and organizations, like those of AgroLiquid, St. Johns, which provide an educational opportunity to the public to learn and experience the role, importance, and economic impact of agriculture on food production for generations to come.
- Access to and financial support of agriscience programs and FFA chapters in all Michigan schools.
- Developing an agriculture credential that high school AFNRE students could use to gain employment in the agriculture and natural resources field. The development of this credential should include input from businesses, teachers and educational specialists to ensure the credential represents the skills learned through the program in a way that's meaningful for employers.
- Utilizing funding for agriculture internships and apprenticeships through the National Apprenticeship Act.