The annual Ag Awareness day at the State Fair of Texas was October 8, 2013. This event, sponsored by Dairy Max, is a great opportunity for middle and high school students from the Dallas area to get out of the classroom and learn hands on about agriculture and the commodities and trade associated with it.
The first event of Ag-Awareness Day was the food drive. Colt Lockery from Cayuga ISD stated, “Our FFA has been collecting cans for the past 3 weeks, when we turned them into the food drive we felt good about our contribution.”
Mansfield FFA, just an hour from the State Fair, brought 50 students to Ag Awareness day. “All students must bring a can good with them in order to get in to the State Fair,” said Kevin Smith, Mansfield FFA advisor. “The Mansfield FFA Chapter brought a little over 150 cans from 50 students.”
The canned goods are collected and distributed to North Texas Food Bank, this year there was a total of 11,000 pounds being donated.
“We had a great turnout with the can food drive and we are very pleased with the response we received from ag teachers and their students,” said Laurie Freeman, food drive coordinator.
After the food drive, schools went to pick up their AgriQuest packets. AgriQuest is the scavenger hunt that the students participate in. It consists of going from station to station learning about different types of agriculture.
“My favorite part was definitely the AgriQuest. We got to visit many different places and learn about lots of different things relating to agriculture,” said Madelyn Woida from McKinney Boyd High School.
The group of FCCLA kids from McKinney Boyd High School were very intrigued by all of the facts they were given about agriculture at the Ag-Awareness day.
Benjamin Adeeso said, “Coming into today I didn’t feel like I knew anything about agriculture because it’s not my background, but the lady giving the Ag-Awareness Award ceremony speech made me realize that agriculture is everywhere.”
Throughout the busy day, students also got the chance to stop by the commodities fair, where they were able to see first hand the animals and fibers that are produced in the agricultural industry. For students like Alise Davis, Mansfield FFA, it was an eye opening experience.
“I like Ag Awareness day because it allows me to experience new things,” said Davis. “This year, a lamb went into labor and we got to see her have a baby!”
Ag Awareness day also holds a college fair filled with colleges, primarily agricultural based, from all across the state.
“Coming to Ag Awareness day helps us have an insight about our future,” said Lyndsay Brown, Mansfield FFA student. “I would like to be a vet when I grow up, so being able to see and touch the animals and being able to learn more about college is something I really enjoy.
“The college fair is a great way for us to learn more about the agricultural trade,” said Danielle Thomas, Mansfield FFA student. “It gives us a better idea as to what is out there for our futures.”
This year more than 1800 students attended the fair for Ag-Awareness Day.