FFA students and youth engage in agricultural education programs

Agricultural education and youth engagement remain central to the farming community in the Midwest. More than 400 Future Farmers of America (FFA) students from 36 schools across Iowa, Minnesota, and Wisconsin recently gathered at the Northeast Iowa Community College (NICC) Calmar campus for the annual Tri-State Ag and Dairy Expo.

The event featured hands-on learning, including livestock judging, dairy product evaluation, and agricultural safety demonstrations. Participants also engaged in workshops regarding dairy records management, robotics in farming, and various career pathways within the agricultural sector.

In a separate effort to connect younger generations with farming, approximately 700 third-grade students from Freeborn County visited Larcrest Holsteins in Albert Lea. The visit aimed to provide children with a firsthand look at dairy farming operations. These educational initiatives come as local farming populations face challenges, including dwindling farm numbers and labor requirements.