A new collaboration between the National 4-H Council and Monsanto aims to stimulate youth interest and involvement in agriculture.
The organizations announced a pilot project, the 4-H Ag Innovators Experience, during the National Agriculture Day observance on March 25. The initiative will focus on spreading awareness of the rising global demand for food, inspiring new innovations and stimulating involvement in food security solutions using limited resources to design a solution.
“Monsanto recognizes that 4-H members are already providing ag solutions on a global scale and we hope that the Ag Innovators Experience will sharpen existing skills to ensure the long-term health and growth of agriculture,” said Monsanto customer advocacy outreach manager Elizabeth Vancil. “We believe that today’s participants will provide tomorrow’s foundation for a prosperous, knowledgeable and innovative agricultural workforce.”
Michigan 4-H Youth Development received a $15,000 grant to help fund the activity, which ties into career exploration; science, technology, engineering and math careers and agriculture careers. Teen 4-H members Claire White from Eaton County, D’Ontai Lewis from Wayne County and Suzanna Hull from Hillsdale County attended the state leadership team training at the National 4-H Youth Conference Center in Chevy Chase, Md. in March. The three will use this training to prepare their 4-H teen leaders and local 4-H clubs how to create a solution for this real-world problem. Throughout Michigan, 1,000 young people in 4-H are expected to participate in the activity this June.
The 4-H Ag Innovators Experience seeks to create an exciting learning environment targeted for 4-H’ers in grades 5 to 9. It intends to help children gain professional skills that will prepare them to solve future agriscience challenges. Children who participate in the activity will develop science and leadership skills while also being exposed to many career education and civic engagement opportunities.
This year’s project will challenge children from eight states across the U.S. ‒ Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Michigan, Missouri, Nebraska, Ohio and Wisconsin ‒ to engage in an interactive activity where they will be asked to construct a unique approach to fish food distribution.
4-H clubs participating in the “Fish Farm Challenge” will engineer a food-distribution system that evenly dispenses soy-based fish food for a tilapia fish farm. The goal is to show the value of aquaculture for future farmers and encourage unique approaches for commercial fish to gain equal access to food. Groups will send in a video demonstrating their ideas to local people throughout their community. More information about the video contest will be released by June 1. Four groups will receive a prize of $2,500 for their outstanding efforts.
The 4-H Ag Innovators Experience is a free activity. Interested Michigan 4-H clubs can contact Betty Jo Nash at nashbett@msu.edu or visit msue.msu.edu for more information about opportunities this summer. Non-4-H youth interested in taking the challenge are encouraged to contact their county MSU Extension office for information on how to enroll.