Newswise — (Washington, D.C., July 31, 2012) — The Alliance to Feed the Future today announced the availability of new, free curricula to help students in grades K-8 learn about modern food and agricultural production and how American farmers and producers provide safe, nutritious and abundant food choices every day.
“Lunchbox Lessons: The Journey from Farm to Fork,” was made possible through a grant from Farm Credit, America’s largest agricultural lending cooperative. The grade-specific materials were developed by The Education Center of Greensboro, North Carolina. The comprehensive supplemental curricula guide students through the exciting journey of food from the farm to their forks. The lessons address different phases of agriculture and food production, as well as the basics of food safety, healthful eating, physical activity and energy balance, in an engaging and age-appropriate way. Lunchbox Lessons highlights the crucial role farmers and other food producers play in delivering safe, nutritious and affordable food for American families and the growing global population.
The online, downloadable curricula include 15 grade-specific lesson plans, an 8-panel color classroom poster, and five parent take-home pieces, including Spanish translation. The curricula can be used to complement teachers’ existing lesson plans and incorporate core school subjects such as math and science while students are learning about modern food production. The curricula meet core skills including Common Core State Standards that all teachers are required to satisfy, so it will be useful and relevant for years to come.
“More than ever, Americans are separated from farming and distribution of the foods we all enjoy and are exposed to misinformation and myths about modern food and agricultural production,” says David Schmidt, President and CEO of the International Food Information Council, which coordinates the Alliance. “The 105 Alliance members, including professional societies and universities, educational organizations, and industry and commodity groups, believe it is crucial that accurate and straightforward information be made available to teachers, students and parents to demystify the process by which food is produced. These curricula do that in a way that is fun and captivating, and we are pleased to make them available to busy educators looking to teach multiple skills, while also learning about where our food comes from.”
All of the educational materials are available through the Alliance to Feed the Future website. This fall they will also be offered in The Education Center’s publications, the TheMailbox.com and Learning magazine. Teachers can also enter a contest demonstrating how they use the lessons in their classrooms to win prizes for the most innovative and effective examples.
The Alliance to Feed the Future website (www.alliancetofeedthefuture.org) is home to an assortment of hundreds of helpful resources and information regarding the modern food production system from farm to fork.
For additional questions about the Alliance to Feed the Future, please contact [email protected] or 202-296-6540.
About the Alliance to Feed the FutureThe mission of the Alliance to Feed the Future is to raise awareness and improve understanding of the benefits & necessity of modern food production and technology in order to meet global demand. Members of the Alliance include: Agriculture Council of America, Ag Day; Agriculture Future of America; Agricultural Retailers Association; American Agri-Women; American Bakers Association; American Commodity Distribution Association; American Farmers for the Advancement & Conservation of Technology (AFACT); American Feed Industry Association; American Frozen Food Institute; American Meat Institute; American Peanut Council; American Seed Trade Association; American Society of Agronomy; American Society for Nutrition; American Soybean Association; Animal Agriculture Alliance; Animal Health Institute; Association for Dressings and Sauces; Association of Equipment Manufacturers; Biotechnology Industry Organization; CA Institute for Food & Agricultural Research at UC Davis; Calorie Control Council;Can Manufacturers Institute; Canned Food Alliance; Center for Food Integrity; Corn Refiners Association; Council for Agricultural Science & Technology (CAST); Council for Responsible Nutrition; CropLife America; Crop Science Society of America; Council for Biotechnology Information; Egg Nutrition Center; The Fertilizer Institute; Family, Career and Community Leaders of America; Flavor and Extract Manufacturers Association of the United States; The Food Institute; Frozen Potato Product Institute; Global Midwest Alliance; Grocery Manufacturers Association; GMA Science & Education Foundation; Healthy Weight Commitment Foundation; Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA); Institute for Food Safety and Health; Institute of Food Technologists; Institute of Shortening and Edible Oils; International Association of Color Manufacturers; International Dairy Foods Association; International Food Additives Council; International Food Information Council; International Foodservice Distributors Association; International Formula Council; International Ice Cream Association; Iowa State University, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences; Irrigation Association; Juice Products Association; Kentucky Livestock Coalition; Kentucky Soybean Association; Kentucky Soybean Promotion Board; Midwest Food Processors Association; Milk Industry Foundation; MilkPEP; National Agricultural Biotechnology Council; National Association of Margarine Manufacturers; National Association of Plant Breeders; National Association of Wheat Growers; National Cheese Institute; National Chicken Council; National Coalition for Food and Agricultural Research; National Confectioners Association; National Council of Agricultural Employers; National FFA Foundation; National Fisheries Institute; National Frozen Pizza Institute; National Institute for Animal Agriculture; National Livestock Producers Association; National Pasta Association; National Peanut Board; National Pecan Shellers Association; National Restaurant Association; National Turkey Federation; New Mexico State University College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences; The Ohio State University, Department of Food Science and Technology; Pennsylvania State University, Department of Dairy & Animal Science; Pennsylvania State University, Department of Food Science; Pink Lady America; Produce Marketing Association; Research Chefs Association; Robert Mondavi Institute for Wine & Food Science at UC Davis; Shelf-Stable Food Processors Association; Snack Food Association; Soil Science Society of America; Southern Food & Beverage Museum; STEMconnector; United Egg Producers; United Fresh Produce Association; University of Florida Institute of Food & Agricultural Sciences; University of Georgia, College of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences; University of Illinois, Agricultural Communications Program; University of Massachusetts, Department of Food Science; USA Rice Federation; U.S. Cattlemen's Association; U.S. Custom Harvesters; Vinegar Institute; Women Involved in Farm Economics (WIFE); and Yellow Tractor Program
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