The Independence Agricultural Education Program Continues to Thrive

November 9, 2016

The Independence Agricultural Education Program is currently in its 4^th year of existence since restarting in the summer of 2013. The Agricultural Education Program and Independence FFA Chapter offer a wide variety of classes, learning opportunities and community service projects for students in grades 7-12.

The Agricultural Education Program and Independence FFA Chapter work closely with the Independence Ag. Advisory Committee in determining the vision and direction of the Agricultural Education Program. The Ag. Advisory Committee meets quarterly to discuss methods and ways to continually increase student opportunities.

The Independence FFA chapter plants, harvests and cares for the test plot just east of the high school. Students work with advisory committee members to acquire seed, communicate with farmers to borrow planting and harvesting equipment and record the yields of various crop varieties. The Independence chapter currently has 40 FFA members and enrollment in agricultural education courses has continued to increase since 2013.

The Agricultural Education Program is starting its 2^nd year of operating a greenhouse for use by the FFA chapter and horticulture classes. The advisory committee assisted in the construction and fundraising process to complete the greenhouse. Committee member Eric Smith stated, “We exist to support the classroom aspects of agricultural education. The advisory board has supported fundraising for equipment, identified local producers for field trips and chaperoned field trips.”

Independence agricultural educator and FFA Advisor, Michael Haden explains, “The Agricultural Education Program operates at the highest level when the community is involved in assisting the program wherever needed. That has definitely been and continues to be the case here in Independence”.

For more information about the Agricultural Education Program or the Independence FFA Chapter, please contact Michael Haden at mhaden@independence.k12.ia.us or 319-334-7400.