KCFB News Releases

American Farm Bureau Federation selects Kings County Farm Bureau as a winner in the national County Activities of Excellence program.

            (Hanford, CA) Using the latest distant-learning technology, Kings County Farm Bureau (KCFB) has partnered with the Kings County Office of Education (KCOE) to develop agricultural lessons delivered LIVE to students in classrooms anywhere in the U.S. from KCOE’s state-of-the-art studio. During the 60-minute video conference, students interact with a KCFB presenter, who brings agriculture to life before their eyes. The American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) believes this ag-education program deserves national recognition. 

            This week, AFBF selected KCFB as a winner in their County Activities of Excellence Program. Only 15 counties nationwide receive the honor. In January, KCFB representatives will travel to Atlanta, Georgia, to showcase the program at the AFBF annual meeting.

          “Our objective in developing this program was to combat the negative, sensationalized images of agriculture that are prevalent on the Internet and in the media” said KCFB Executive Director Diana Peck “We want to teach children the simple truth about where their food and fiber comes from.”

            The first lesson, The Wonder of Cotton: from Farm to Fabric, was completed in December 2009. During the spring semester 2010, the lesson was delivered to more than 1,350 students. Most teachers who signed up for the class were from Kings County classrooms; however, teachers from as far away as Miramonte, Calif.; Bryan, Ohio; Frankfort, Kentucky; and Virginia Beach, Virginia also ordered the lesson for their students.

            “We didn’t tell the class that they were getting cotton as part of the presentation,” said Kathi Bauer, Bryan, Ohio middle school teacher. “When Diana said the students were getting cotton to take the seeds out of, they all looked at each other with these curious expressions on their faces! ‘How was she going to give us cotton when she’s all the way in California?’” Bauer said, expressing how much her students enjoyed the hands-on cotton ginning exercise.

            Teachers receive packets of real California cotton, mailed in advance, as part of the pre- and post-lesson classroom activities. Lessons are aligned with California and national curriculum standards, making them a valuable tool for teachers.

            For fall semester 2010, a second lesson was added to the program: the Journey of Milk: from Cow to Carton. Just two months into the fall semester, more than 900 students have participated in the program. Lessons are available on the KCFB website, http://videoconferencing.kings.k12.ca.us/content/Pages/KCOE_IVC_Programs.aspx and at the Center for Interactive Learning and Collaboration, www.cilc.org.