Today we encourage others to become Ag Teachers and recognize their role with National Teach Ag Day!

I had my share of Agriculture teachers both in high school and college. Their roles are not minor in helping shape their students.

Here’s to the future students who will go on to pursue agricultural education, to my friends who are still pursuing their degree/ license in ag. education, and those who have gone off to teach in the classroom.

Ag teachers helped lead me to my career path. I would not be an ag. communicator or journalism graduate had it not been for my experience in the classroom or the FFA side of my education. (I can touch upon this in another blog post in the future).

What did ag students learn from these educators? I know in high school I learned how to: care for small animals, judge soil, work with small engines, communicate, be a leader and what qualities to value in a leader, stick and MIG weld, properly use a plasma cutter and oxygen-acetylene torch. I learned things useful for trades or a 4-year college. I learned skills to carry into my future.

College I learned all about ag business management, soil fertility, properly handling livestock, meat and technologies used, how to identify weeds, wine science and the processes involved, sales presentations, different ways to communicate about agriculture, identifying herbaceous and ornamental plants, and natural resources and ecological management.

Shout out to your agriculture teachers tonight! They put in the time to guide you along and educate you. Those who were our educators and FFA advisors: thanks for the time you invested and the confidence you instilled in us through contests. I am a communicator because of you!