300 Garrigus, Lexington, KY 40546-0215

National Teach Ag Campaign

300 Garrigus, Lexington, KY 40546-0215

859-257-2224 |

NEWS RELEASE

For more information:

Ellen Thompson

National Teach Ag Coordinator

Phone: (605) 350-3842

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

NATIONAL TEACH AG DAY ON SEPTEMBER 25 BRINGS NEW ATTENTION TO KEY PROFESSION

Some of the world’s most pressing problems – sustainable food production, the state of the environment, improving public health - are quietly being addressed every day by teachers in our public school systems, something that might surprise those not familiar with agricultural education programs.National Teach Ag Day on September 25th aims to celebrate those important contributions agricultural educators are making. It is also a day to encourage students to pursue careers as agricultural educators because the profession is currently facing a critical shortage.

“The agriculture classroom is where we can begin to solve these really big-picture questions,and those classrooms won’t exist without our best and brightest minds choosing to become agricultural educators,” said Ellen Thompson, National Teach Ag Campaign Coordinator.

The highlight of National Teach Ag Day will be a live webcast from CHS headquarters in St. Paul, Minn. on September 25th from 1-3 pm eastern. The event will include special appearances by leaders in agricultural education, panels of current and future agriculture teachers, and tips for pursuing a career in agricultural education. There will also be opportunities for individuals celebrating across the nation to chime in through social media and video conferencing.

Events surrounding National Teach Ag Day will include a dialogue on Wednesday, September 24th that will bring together agribusiness leaders, policy makers and education professionals to discuss solutions-based strategies to ensure a quality supply of agriculture teachers. Participants will discuss how decision makers can support the recruitment and retention of agricultural educators, who in turn will produce the next generation of talent critical to the success of the agriculture industry. The dialogue is sponsored by CHS and AgriBank.

“At CHS, we’re committed to creating a strong future—and strong future leaders—for rural America,” said William Nelson, president, CHS Foundation and vice president, Corporate Citizenship. “The key to delivering on this promise begins with the support of our teachers, especially agricultural educators, who play a pivotal role in preparing the next generation of leaders in agriculture.”

To log on to the live webcast, or for resources to help you plan a local Teach Ag Day celebration, visit naae.org/teachag.

National Teach Ag Day is a component of the National Teach Ag Campaign, an effort to bring attention to the need for more agricultural educators in the U.S and celebrate the contributions that agriculture teachers make in their schools and communities. The campaign is an initiative of the National Council for Agricultural Education, led by the National Association of Agricultural Educators.The campaign is funded by the CHS Foundation, DuPont Pioneer and Growth Energy as a special project of the National FFA Foundation.For more about National Teach Ag Day and the National Teach Ag campaign, visit naae.org/teachag.

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