Fall – a wonderful time of year to experience the great outdoors in North Carolina – noted by the brisk mornings, comfortable day-time temperatures, and beautiful color changes of the landscape. A familiar time in agriculture for harvesting crops and working the land as we celebrate the goodness that clothes and feeds us every day. A time of year steeped with educational opportunities like county fairs that highlight the crops, animals, and people that make up our agricultural communities.

With less than 2 percent of the population now producing the food, fiber, and fuel we need each day, agricultural awareness has become more important than ever. A growing number of individuals don’t realize the contributions agricultural products make in their everyday lives.

Agriculture remains the number one industry in North Carolina, with over 90 different commodities produced across the distinct growing climates of the mountains, piedmont, and coastal plains regions. More locally, agriculture remains the number one industry in Robeson County, accounting for over 456 million in economic impact annually. Yet, so much of our population has little understanding of where their food comes from.

North Carolina Cooperative Extension, Robeson Count Center, was proud to recently partner with the North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, AgCarolina Farm Credit, Robeson County Farm Bureau Women’s Committee, and the Public Schools of Robeson County to host the first annual Robeson County Agriculture Awareness Days for all third-grade students. The three-day event, held at the Southeastern NC Agricultural Events Center, provided over 1500 students the opportunity to participant in 10 educational stations covering corn, soybean, cotton, small grains, poultry, pigs, beekeeping, pollinators, dairy, and healthy food choices. The overall goal of the event was to increase their understanding of how food and fiber are produced, their awareness of the value agricultural products contribute to our economy, and, just maybe, their appreciation for individuals who make it all happen.

Based on teacher feedback, 100 percent of students increased their knowledge in various areas of agriculture, 84 percent of students have a better understanding of the importance of crops in our everyday lives and what pollination is about, and 83 percent of students have a better understanding of where their food comes from. We were also excited to hear that 90 percent of the teachers planned to follow up with questions in the classrooms and encourage students to share what they learned with their friends and families. Even the teachers stated they learned something at every station!

The success of this event would not have been possible without our agricultural community coming together with resources of facilities, manpower, and donations. The event averaged 60 volunteers a day, responsible for sharing their knowledge at stations, serving as tour guides, packing goody bags for each youth to take home, and arranging lunch for volunteers.

We’d like to give a special thank you to our sponsors – Gold Sponsors: Public Schools of Robeson County; AgCarolina Farm Credit; N.C. Cooperative Extension; Robeson County Farm Bureau; Southeastern NC Agricultural Events Center; D.D. Cox Agency, Inc.; Mountaire; and Hope Alive. Bronze Sponsors: Lumbee River EMC; Town of Pembroke; Z.V. Pate, Inc.; Wynn Law Firm, P.C.; The Farm at Lowry’s; Lumbee Bank; and Metcon. Friends of Ag: Lumberton Rotary Club; Tony Bullard; Lennis Watts Enterprises, Inc.; Patrick Bullard; Agri Supply; Arrin Baker; Dan Lewis; Matthew Locklear; Noelle Hester; Michelle Shooter; and the Lumbee Tribe.

Much appreciation also for the in-kind donations from Walmart, Roger’s Screen Printing, Papa Bill’s BBQ, Subway, San Jose Restaurant, Rachel Locklear’s Portable Toilets, Hunnie and KMan Farm Meat, and Chick-fil-A.

Thanks to all who helped work together to build an abundant future and community. For more information contact Mac Malloy, County Extension Director and Field Crop Agent with North Carolina Cooperative Extension, Robeson County Center, at (910) 671-3276, by E-mail at [email protected], or visit our website at http://robeson.ces.ncsu.edu/.

NC State University and N.C. A&T State University are collectively committed to positive action to secure equal opportunity and prohibit discrimination and harassment regardless of age, color, disability, family and marital status, gender identity, genetic information, national origin, political beliefs, race, religion, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, and veteran status. NC State, N.C. A&T, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and local governments cooperating.

ABOUT N.C. COOPERATIVE EXTENSION

North Carolina Cooperative Extension is a strategic partnership of NC State Extension, The Cooperative Extension Program at N.C. A&T State University, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture (USDA-NIFA), and local government partners statewide. Extension delivers research-based education and technology from NC State and N.C. A&T that enriches the lives, land, and economy of North Carolinians. Extension professionals in all 100 counties and the Eastern Band of Cherokee provide educational programs specializing in agriculture, youth, communities, health, and the environment.