Farm Journal Agricultural Foundation

SUSTAINING AGRICULTURE'S ABILITY TO MEET THE VITAL NEEDS OF A GROWING POPULATION.

KEY PROGRAMS OF THE FARM JOURNAL FOUNDATION INCLUDE: -FARMERS:FARM JOURNAL FOUNDATION'S FARMER AMBASSADORS ARE A NATIONAL NETWORK OF FARMERS AND PRODUCERS PASSIONATE ABOUT THE ROLE OF AGRICULTURE IN ADDRESSING HUNGER AROUND THE WORLD. MEMBERS SEEK TO ENGAGE WITH POLICY MAKERS, PROMOTING A NATIONAL VISION AND COMMITMENT TO INTERNATIONAL AGRICULTURAL DEVELOPMENT IN U.S. FOREIGN POLICY. SINCE THE LAUNCH OF THE PROGRAM LESS THAN 3 YEARS AGO, THESE LEADERS HAVE CONDUCTED MORE THAN 300 MEETINGS ON CAPITOL HILL WITH POLICYMAKERS.FARMERS AND PRODUCERS WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH FARM JOURNAL FOUNDATION (CONTINUED):AT THE GLOBAL LEVEL AND IN THEIR HOME STATE COMMUNITIES TO COMMUNICATE WITH AND EDUCATE DIVERSE STAKEHOLDERS ABOUT THE ROLE OF MODERN AGRICULTURE IN FEEDING THE WORLD. TYPICAL ENGAGEMENTS INCLUDE: SPEAKING OPPORTUNITIES, GUEST LECTURING ON UNIVERSITY CAMPUSES, HOSTING COMMUNITY EVENTS AND SUPPORTING MISSION-ALIGNED ORGANIZATIONS INCLUDING COMMUNITY GARDENS, FOOD BANKS AND LOCAL SCHOOLS.-NATIONAL LEVEL POLICY:THE FARM JOURNAL FOUNDATION POLICY DIALOGUE CONVENES GLOBAL THOUGHT LEADERS WITH KEY POLICY INFLUENCERS TO FACILITATE DISCUSSION AND CRITICAL THINKING AROUND THE MOST IMPORTANT ISSUES FRAMING FOOD AND AGRICULTURE POLICY TODAY. EFFORTS INCLUDE PEER-REVIEWED PAPERS AND RELATED BRIEFINGS THAT SUPPORT A POLICY DIALOGUE ON HOW U.S. AGRICULTURE CAN MAINTAIN ITS COMPARATIVE STRENGTH, SHARE ITS EXTRAORDINARY KNOWLEDGE AND TOOLS AND DRIVE ECONOMIC GROWTH AND STABILITY.-UNIVERSITY STUDENTS:THE FJF UNIVERSITY SPEAKER SERIES SERVED AS THE ORGANIZATION'S FLAGSHIP CAMPUS ENGAGEMENT PROGRAM DURING 2021, BRINGING TOGETHER STUDENTS FROM ACROSS THE COUNTRY TO PARTICIPATE IN MULTIDISCIPLINARY DISCUSSIONS ABOUT THE BIGGEST CHALLENGES FACING OUR FOOD AND AGRICULTURAL SYSTEM. PANELISTS PARTICIPATING IN THIS 4-PART EVENT SERIES INCLUDED INDUSTRY LEADERS, FARMERS, ACADEMIC EXPERTS, AND STAKEHOLDERS FROM THE NONPROFIT, INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT, AND GOVERNMENT SECTORS. THE PROGRAM WORKED IN PARTNERSHIP WITH SIX STUDENT ORGANIZATIONS AND 15 UNIVERSITIES, A NUMBER OF WHICH INCLUDED THIS CONTENT AS PART OF THEIR CURRICULUM.SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION FOR 2021THE FJF TEAM IS PROUD TO WORK EACH DAY TO SUPPORT FARMERS IN THE ESSENTIAL ROLE THEY PLAY IN FEEDING AND NOURISHING THE WORLD, A ROLE THAT BECAME EVEN MORE COMPLEX DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC. EMPTY GROCERY STORE SHELVES AT THE ONSET OF THE PANDEMIC SPARKED CURIOSITY AND APPRECIATION AMONG CONSUMERS FOR U.S. AGRICULTURE, THE RESILIENCE OF OUR FOOD SYSTEM AND FOOD SECURITY. IN ADDITION, OUR RECENT RESEARCH HAS ILLUSTRATED THAT THE PANDEMIC HAS FURTHER INCREASED CONCERN ABOUT CLIMATE CHANGE AND THE IMPORTANCE OF ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION. WE FIND OURSELVES AT AN UNFORESEEN AND CRITICAL CROSSROADS TO CONNECT ON A UNIQUELY MEANINGFUL LEVEL WITH CONSUMERS, VOTERS AND STUDENTS ABOUT THE VALUE CHAIN OF FOOD AND NUTRITION. THE FOUNDATION HAS RESPONDED TO THIS OPPORTUNITY BY INVESTING IN NEW, TARGETED PROGRAMMING THAT REINFORCES THE CENTRAL ROLE OF FARMERS IN CREATING A SAFE, ABUNDANT GLOBAL FOOD SUPPLY WHILE STEWARDING THE PRECIOUS NATURAL RESOURCES WE ALL SHARE AND DEPEND UPON. PROGRAM EXAMPLES INCLUDE:FARMER AMBASSADORS:IN RESPONSE TO THE GLOBAL PANDEMIC THE FOUNDATION'S FARMER AMBASSADORS PROVIDED TARGETED GRANTS TO THEIR LOCAL COMMUNITIES TO ASSIST WITH PANDEMIC RELIEF EFFORTS. GRANTS WERE AWARDED TO LOCAL HUNGER ORGANIZATIONS, HOMEBOUND LEARNING INITIATIVES, SCHOOL LUNCH PROGRAMS, COMMUNITY GARDENS AND FAMILY COUNSELING SERVICES.K-12 EDUCATION:WITH EDUCATORS AND PARENTS SCRAMBLING TO FIND ENGAGING RESOURCES TO SUPPLEMENT HOMEBOUND LEARNING, FJF CREATED AND DISTRIBUTED A VARIETY OF E-LEARNING TOOLS TO SUPPORT HOMEBOUND LEARNING. TO DATE, TEACHERS IN ALL 50 STATES HAVE ACCESSED FJF E-LEARNING TOOLS, WHICH INCLUDES MORE THAN A DOZEN ELEARNING MODULES DESIGNED FOR MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL GRADE LEVELS. COMPLIMENTARY 3D GOGGLES WERE OFFERED TO TEACHERS TO DISTRIBUTE TO THEIR CLASSROOMS FOR ACCESSING THE MULTIPLE VIRTUAL REALITY IMMERSIVE EXPERIENCES WITHIN THE MODULES. TO DATE, MORE THAN 10,000 PEOPLE HAVE RECEIVED GOGGLES COURTESY OF THE FOUNDATION.THROUGH A PARTNERSHIP WITH THE ORGANIZATION DIRT TO DINNER, FJF IS CREATING AND WILL DISTRIBUTE EDUCATIONAL CURRICULUM BUILT WITHIN THE FRAMEWORK OF NEXT GENERATION SCIENCE STANDARD. THESE MATERIALS WILL TEACH STUDENTS ABOUT THE VALUE CHAIN OF FOOD AND NUTRITION. FJF LEARNING MODULES BLEND VIDEO INTERVIEWS AND TOURS LED BY FARMERS, SCIENTISTS, CHEFS, AND OTHERS TO BRING CORE CONCEPTS TO LIFE, WHILE E-LEARNING AND INFOGRAPHIC SEGMENTS FRAME OUT KEY ISSUES AND SET CONTEXT. SUPPORTIVE TEACHING RESOURCES PROVIDE THE FRAMEWORK THAT EDUCATORS REQUIRE TO UTILIZE MATERIALS IN A CLASSROOM SETTING.FJF SPEAKER SERIES:TO SUPPORT UNIVERSITY'S IN HOMEBOUND LEARNING CURRICULUM AND TO CONTINUE OUR IMPACT WORKING WITH FUTURE LEADERS IN FOOD AND AGRICULTURE, FJF WORKED WITH A VARIETY OF PARTNERS TO CREATE AND LAUNCH AN IMPACTFUL SPEAKER SERIES. THE FOUNDATION CONNECTED WITH THOUSANDS OF STUDENTS THROUGH A VIRTUAL SPEAKER SERIES PROGRAM. CREATED IN PARTNERSHIP WITH AUBURN UNIVERSITY, PROGRAM PARTNERS INCLUDED CORNELL UNIVERSITY, DUKE UNIVERSITY, IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY, PENN STATE UNIVERSITY, TUSKEGEE UNIVERSITY, MINORITIES IN AGRICULTURE, NATURAL RESOURCES AND RELATED SCIENCES (MANRRS), UNIVERSITIES FIGHTING WORLD HUNGER AND GLOBAL TEACHAG!. THE SERIES, "REVISIONING THE GLOBAL FOOD SYSTEM," FEATURED PANEL DISCUSSIONS WITH FOOD AND AGRICULTURE IN THE CONTEXT OF THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC WITH THOUGHT LEADERS ACROSS MULTIPLE SECTORS INCLUDING GOVERNMENT, PRIVATE BUSINESS, NGOS AND ACADEMIA.WORKFORCE CAPACITY BUILDING:THROUGH A GRANT FROM THE ZOETIS FOUNDATION, FJF LAUNCHED THE VETERINARY DEBT SOLUTIONS PROGRAM WHICH WILL CONVENE LEADERS FROM ACROSS THE LIVESTOCK, ACADEMIC, NONPROFIT, AND VETERINARY SECTORS TO ADDRESS BARRIERS THAT VETERINARIANS FACE IN BUILDING LONG-TERM CAREERS IN RURAL AREAS. HIGH LEVELS OF STUDENT DEBT, COMBINED WITH COMPARATIVELY LOWER RURAL SALARIES AND DEMANDING WORKLOADS, DISCOURAGE MANY YOUNG AND DIVERSE PROFESSIONALS FROM SPECIALIZING IN LARGE ANIMAL VETERINARY SCIENCE AND ENTERING THE WORKFORCE, PARTICULARLY IN UNDERSERVED RURAL AREAS.