U.S. Rep. Randy Feenstra (R-Hull) introduced – alongside U.S. Rep. Yadira Caraveo (D-CO) – the Future Funding for Agricultural Research, Mentorship, and Education Reauthorization (Future FARMER) Act.
This legislation reauthorizes the Food and Agricultural Sciences Education account in the Farm Bill, which includes secondary education, two-year postsecondary education, and several other important educational programs. It also funds the Agriculture in the Classroom (AITC) program, which currently supports agriculture education initiatives for five million students and 60,000 teachers nationwide, including approximately 160,000 students and 3,000 teachers across Iowa.
“Education – especially agriculture education – is vital to the long-term success of our economy, rural communities, and our country. On my Feenstra Agriculture Tour, I have met with agriculture students at Morningside University in Sioux City, toured the student-operated farm at Iowa Lakes Community College in Emmetsburg, and spoke to FFA students at Akron-Westfield High School. The bottom line is – we must invest in educating the next generation and supporting our teachers so that we can maintain Iowa’s status as the breadbasket to our country and the world,” said Rep. Feenstra. “I’m proud to work with my colleague, Rep. Yadira Caraveo, to reauthorize agriculture education programs that have helped our students develop their interests, learn important skills, and pursue a career in agriculture. In the United States, and specifically in Iowa, we have been blessed with the most fertile soil in the world, and over the last 100 years, we have witnessed a revolution in agricultural production when we combined the ingenuity of rural America with proper agricultural education and research. As fewer people know where their food comes from and fewer young people are getting involved in agriculture, we are introducing this bill to continue our tradition of agricultural excellence and literacy in Iowa. Hailing from the same state as Norman Borlaug and representing the second-largest agriculture-producing district in the nation, I will continue to be a strong voice for agriculture, our hardworking farmers, and the next generation of producers.”
“Farming and ranching are time-honored professions for families in my District, so I am committed to ensuring young Coloradans have the educational opportunities to pursue agriculture careers and carry on this proud tradition,” said Rep. Caraveo. “I am glad to work on a bipartisan basis with Rep. Feenstra to support food and agricultural science programs to teach the next generation of ag workers and business owners.”
