Finding the Ag in Everything
Kathleen Liang, Ph.D., Kellogg Distinguished Professor of Sustainable Agriculture, speaks with one of more than 180 Swann Middle School students that came to the University Farm for a visit. Their class had read the book ‘The Omnivore’s Dilemma’ in English class, and was making connections to agriculture and food production through one of Liang’s training modules.
Kathleen Liang, Ph.D. Kellogg Distinguished Professor, Dept. of Applied Economics and Agriscience Education
Kathleen Liang, Ph.D., has a message for educators: Agriculture is much more than farming. In fact, aspects of agriculture are embedded in biology, mathematics, environmental sciences, and even history and language arts.
“A lot of K-12 teachers are curious about what the whole agriculture domain involves,” said Liang, Kellogg Distinguished Professor of Sustainable Agriculture in the College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences and director of the Center for Environmental Farming Systems.
“Agriculture includes multiple disciplines and different types of skills, knowledge and practices. First, I want to expose teachers to the multiple aspects of farming and agriculture. Then, I want to get them on board with using agriculture as examples in any course they teach.”
Thanks to a $500,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Liang is spreading the word about the ubiquitousness of agriculture. The three-year grant will allow Liang to work with more than 60 North Carolina K-12 educators, who teach a wide range of subjects and grade levels. The one-week, hands-on program introduces teachers to the many aspects of agriculture and how agriculture can be integrated into diverse classroom learning environments. In 2024, three groups of about 20 teachers met for the intensive week of training at Cherry Research Farm in Goldsboro. Liang will convene more teacher trainings during summer 2025 and 2026 before wrapping up the program. The grant provides a stipend for teachers to cover travel and living expenses for the week in Goldsboro.
Although much of the focus is practical – for example, sharing ideas for teaching math by looking at price differences at a farmers market – Liang also aims to expose teachers and students to the depth and breadth of modern agriculture and encourage students to learn more about agriculture and apply their skills in the field.
Swann Middle School students sample a variety of organic, inorganic, processed and unprocessed foods during their day at the farm, integrating agriculture into their English class.
“Most of the time, when people think about agriculture, they think about farming,” said Liang. “Actually, today’s agriculture is very much about technology, environment, climate, and health. There are sensors and monitors that use AI to grow better crops and give animals a healthier environment. Environmental science, engineering, mechanics, food science, design, even physical education are all part of agriculture. The younger generation needs to understand that agriculture will be part of their lives no matter what career path they choose.”
The teacher training program includes talks by experts in agriculture, horticulture, sustainability, food and nutrition, business and marketing, and other topics. The teachers also do some hands-on farm work, such as weeding and planting, and have chances to develop and share curriculum ideas with their peers. The teachers leave the training with at least two lesson plans based on the topics covered each day. For example, math lessons can be focused on calculating prices in the marketplace, farm animal care can help teach biology, and students can learn about health and nutrition by studying the nutritional value of different foods and deciphering food labels.
The program is open to any North Carolina educator, but recruitment focuses on educators who teach in underserved Tier 1 counties, which are the most economically distressed in the state.
“Our priority is to reach people in underserved Tier 1 counties and underserved urban areas because those teachers are more likely to face challenges,” said Liang. “They are more likely to have limited resources and limited connections to higher education.”
Felicia Freeman attended the program in summer 2024 with the intention of gaining knowledge and curriculum ideas for a school she is opening in 2025 called Jesus Reigns STEMSSORI Academy. She plans to develop a small garden at the school and use it to teach science and nutrition, give students access to fresh healthy food, and combat the poor nutrition that often plagues underserved communities. She learned that growing foods can be used to teach students about different cultures and that discarded plastic bottles make perfect containers for hydroponic gardening. She also learned from the other teachers at the training.
“There were teachers from all over the state who shared a wealth of knowledge from beekeeping to their ideas for developing aspects of the program into their educational environments,” she said. “As a result, I have notes from what they shared as well. I would strongly encourage teachers who teach students from disenfranchised populations to seek an opportunity to participate in this program.”
Leatrecia Kinsey, an elementary school teacher at N.C. A&T State University’s Aggie Academy in Greensboro attended the summer 2024 program and said she learned much about modern agricultural techniques, the importance of sustainability, and how to apply her new knowledge in an educational setting.
“I was surprised by how much technology is now integrated into farming, from precision agriculture to data-driven crop management,” said Kinsey. “I’m planning to incorporate what I’ve learned by integrating hands-on agricultural projects into the classroom, using real-world examples of sustainable practices, and leveraging technology to teach students about modern farming techniques.”
Leonese M. Cole, a special education teacher at Aggie Academy, said she attended the program to get ideas on integrating agriculture into hands-on learning in broader curriculum areas. She plans to use what she learned to teach her students where food comes from, and to include an agriculture/food production perspective when teaching subjects such as environmental science and technology.
Dominic Minee, a fifth grader at N.C. A&T State University’s Aggie Academy, chalks out his drawing of a sun to accompany a flower as part of his assignment from his teacher, Leatrecia Kinsey, to illustrate photosynthesis through art play. Kinsey was among many teachers across the state who attended Liang’s intensive training program designed introduce teachers to the many facets of agriculture, and how they can be integrated into diverse classroom learning environments.
“By providing engaging, hands-on learning experiences tailored to diverse needs and abilities, I am able to incorporate agriculture into special education,” she said. “This helps me create meaningful and inclusive learning experiences that enhance my students’ skills in an understanding and supportive environment.”
In addition to learning and gaining new ideas for the classroom, Liang hopes the teachers who attend the sessions will stay in touch and build a network of educators who support each other and share curriculum ideas. The teachers who attended the summer trainings will meet via Zoom in the late fall for a “checkpoint,” where they can share what they’ve done to integrate agriculture into their classrooms, what they’ve learned from the experiences, and their plans for future projects.
“Each semester we will have a tool checkpoint, where people check in and see how it’s going, check out the tools available, share what they’ve done, what they’ve learned, and what else they’d like to do,” said Liang. “The intention is to continue to provide some support for these teachers and then let them form a support network among each other.”
The cohorts who have completed the program so far include veteran teachers, new teachers, and a home schooler. They teach subjects ranging from culinary arts to history to literature to general science, and Liang said agriculture can play a role in all these subjects and provide students with more life choices as they grow older.
“The environmental scientist, the economist, the computer scientist who builds robots, the electrical, mechanical, and civil engineers, all of these fields can apply to agriculture,” she said. “Kids should understand it doesn’t matter what they study in college, they can always apply their skills in agriculture. I think that’s amazing.”
