North Dakota Farm Bureau Foundation

Project Food Land & People:Food, Land & People in partnership with the Agriculture in the Classroom program use different approaches to encourage the introduction of agriculture into the K-12 curriculum, through activity based materials. During the year, approximately 160 programs were presented in North Dakota schools where agriculture information was shared through interactive participation of the students. The programs reached 3,320 students during the year. These programs are presented at no cost to the schools. Educational opportunities are also provided to teachers, to enable them to learn more about lessons and curriculum for their students, that teaches them about agriculture. Two educators from North Dakota were provided with scholarships for registration and travel to attend the National Agriculture in the Classroom Conference. The Project Food, Land & People is organized for the overall purpose of developing educational materials K-12, which can be used by teachers and students in all subject areas to teach the importance of agriculture, land and the relationship of both to peoples of the world.

Young Farm & Ranch Committee:The overall purpose for the formation of this Committee of the North Dakota Farm Bureau is that a focus on young farmer and rancher membership will ensure the future existence of the organization. Having new young people join and become stakeholders in NDFB will ensure that NDFB will continue to grow and thrive and be relevant in the future. Ultimately, NDFB will grow new leaders in these young people.Creating a YF&R Committee of young farmer and rancher members will enable NDFB to learn about the needs of this important stakeholder group and provide member programs and other benefits that meet the needs of this key constituency, thereby fostering lifetime members from each generation. Involving young farmer and rancher members in NDFB will help the board and members build relationships with each new generation. The NDFB board can get advice from the YF&R Committee about how younger members weigh in on current issues and programs and ultimately consider that input in their planning.The main objective is to host the annual Farm and Ranch Conference. The YF&R Committee gets 150-200 people to attend every February. They meet to plan this conference and to raise money for this conference through their annual raffle.We estimate 75% of the committee members go onto serve on our county and state boards in the future. Estimated retention rate is 93% of the committee members, stay and become lifelong members of the NDFB.