Status: Closed — this petition is no longer accepting signatures.
Final supporters
A recent survey of 1,000 U.S. consumers, found that 94% of consumers have no direct connection to agriculture. The survey also indicated that 86% of those consumers are concerned with agricultural practices. Agriculture is the process of cultivating the earth and animals so that life can be sustained. Without agriculture, we do not eat. Without agriculture, we would not be clothed. Without agriculture, we would have limited transportation options. It is the single most important part of survival but most do not understand the process.
The problem isn't specific to the United States. In fact, one in six children from the United Kingdom (ages seven to 11) are unaware of where fruits and vegetables come from. One in 25 children believe farmers grow mud.**
We need to educate our children in the basics of survival - agriculture.
This petition serves as a request to amend H.R. 5031, STEM Education Act of 2014, to read as the STEAM Education Act including Science, Technology, Engineering, Agriculture and Mathematics. Additionally, the petition requests the involvement of the House Committee on Agriculture and/or the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Forestry and Nutrition.
The addition of agriculture in H.R. 5031 will:
- mandate education of the most basic form of survival - agriculture
- allow for agriculture education support from the National Institute of Food and Agriculture in teaching K-12 students at a more advanced level
- require learning, research, programs and other agriculture resources to be made available to K-12 students, K-12 teachers, extension and the general public
- potentially decrease childhood obesity and encourage a more balanced diet
- better position the United States to become more competitive in agricultural markets
- reduce overall miscommunication and misinformation pertaining to our food, fiber and fuel systems
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6 Comments
Agriculture is vitally important and kids need to understand more about who grows our food and how it gets to the table!
Agriculture has many facets, several of them being based on science. One of the beauties of ag is that it allows for science oriented individuals to have hands on experience with science either in the field or the lab. There are countless opportunities. I come from a family that has deep roots in science and agriculture. One of my mentors was my great uncle, Milton Ingleman. He obtained his BS in chemistry and then his MS in agronomy (workin on the purple pigment in corn), prior to being drafted for the Manhattan project during WWII. He was also raised on the farm and returned each fall to help with harvest. The farm helped him find his passion in science and the various projects he was involved with as a scientist helped agriculture and the general public. Speaking from my own experience, I know I was taught scientific principles such as hydrophobic and hydrophilic in high school che mostly but I didn't truly grasp them until I was able to relate them to herbicides. With that hands on, real world component to learning, I was able to finally understand those basic scientific principles. Having agriculture as a component of STEM, would be a wise, helpful and logical.
Much needed!!
When over 85% of the people polled think food that contains DNA should be labeled, we have a big problem.
Our kids need to know and understand this.
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Status: Closed — this petition is no longer accepting signatures.
Final supporters
A recent survey of 1,000 U.S. consumers, found that 94% of consumers have no direct connection to agriculture. The survey also indicated that 86% of those consumers are concerned with agricultural practices. Agriculture is the process of cultivating the earth and animals so that life can be sustained. Without agriculture, we do not eat. Without agriculture, we would not be clothed. Without agriculture, we would have limited transportation options. It is the single most important part of survival but most do not understand the process.
The problem isn't specific to the United States. In fact, one in six children from the United Kingdom (ages seven to 11) are unaware of where fruits and vegetables come from. One in 25 children believe farmers grow mud.**
We need to educate our children in the basics of survival - agriculture.
This petition serves as a request to amend H.R. 5031, STEM Education Act of 2014, to read as the STEAM Education Act including Science, Technology, Engineering, Agriculture and Mathematics. Additionally, the petition requests the involvement of the House Committee on Agriculture and/or the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Forestry and Nutrition.
The addition of agriculture in H.R. 5031 will:
- mandate education of the most basic form of survival - agriculture
- allow for agriculture education support from the National Institute of Food and Agriculture in teaching K-12 students at a more advanced level
- require learning, research, programs and other agriculture resources to be made available to K-12 students, K-12 teachers, extension and the general public
- potentially decrease childhood obesity and encourage a more balanced diet
- better position the United States to become more competitive in agricultural markets
- reduce overall miscommunication and misinformation pertaining to our food, fiber and fuel systems
6 Comments
Chris Murray raised the idea at a board retreat of our county Farm Bureau board a year ago. Illinois Farm Bureau adopted the idea. It was to be presented to the American Farm Bureau, but it was found the arts people got the idea first.....
Agriculture is vitally important and kids need to understand more about who grows our food and how it gets to the table!
Agriculture has many facets, several of them being based on science. One of the beauties of ag is that it allows for science oriented individuals to have hands on experience with science either in the field or the lab. There are countless opportunities. I come from a family that has deep roots in science and agriculture. One of my mentors was my great uncle, Milton Ingleman. He obtained his BS in chemistry and then his MS in agronomy (workin on the purple pigment in corn), prior to being drafted for the Manhattan project during WWII. He was also raised on the farm and returned each fall to help with harvest. The farm helped him find his passion in science and the various projects he was involved with as a scientist helped agriculture and the general public. Speaking from my own experience, I know I was taught scientific principles such as hydrophobic and hydrophilic in high school che mostly but I didn't truly grasp them until I was able to relate them to herbicides. With that hands on, real world component to learning, I was able to finally understand those basic scientific principles. Having agriculture as a component of STEM, would be a wise, helpful and logical.
Much needed!!
When over 85% of the people polled think food that contains DNA should be labeled, we have a big problem.
Our kids need to know and understand this.
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Chris Murray raised the idea at a board retreat of our county Farm Bureau board a year ago. Illinois Farm Bureau adopted the idea. It was to be presented to the American Farm Bureau, but it was found the arts people got the idea first.....