HARRISBURG, Pa. — Secretary of Agriculture Russell Redding joined 2,800 elementary students and teachers from six mid-state counties for a tour of Farm City Day at the Pennsylvania Farm Show Complex and Expo Center. Students got an up-close experience with 21st century agriculture careers from soil and plant science to animal nutrition and veterinary medicine.
“These students can feed the world tomorrow,” said Redding. “It’s crucial that we feed their imaginations today. They will enter a job market with 75,000 job openings, and dynamic career opportunities in the agriculture and the food industry. Farm City Day gives them a glimpse at real-world careers that combine a love of animals and the outdoors with what they’re learning in the classroom in science, technology, engineering and math.”
Farm City Day brought students from Berks, Cumberland, Dauphin, Lancaster, Lebanon, Schuylkill and York counties to explore careers in science, technology, engineering and math, and the many other options available in agriculture. Held during the Keystone International Livestock Expo, students are exposed not only to exhibits demonstrating plant and insect science, technology and veterinary medicine, but also to working farmers caring for their livestock.
Participating schools included:
- Berks County: Conrad Weiser Elementary
- Cumberland County: Bellaire Elementary, LeTort Elementary, Mooreland Elementary, North Dickinson Elementary, St. Joseph’s, St. Theresa’s
- Dauphin County: Agora Cyber Charter, Ben Franklin Elementary, Commonwealth Charter Academy, Camp Curtin Elementary, E.H. Phillips Elementary, Nye Elementary, Premier Arts & Science Charter, Rutherford Elementary, Scott School, South Hanover Elementary, St. Stephen’s Episcopal; Sylvan Heights Charter School, Tri-Community Elementary
- Lancaster County: Lafayette Elementary, Martic Elementary, Neff Elementary, Thomas Wharton Elementary
- Lebanon County: East Hanover Elementary, Fredricksburg Elementary, Harding Elementary, New Covenant Christian School, Northwest Elementary
- Schuylkill County: Pine Grove Elementary
- York County: AD Goode Elementary, Baresville Elementary, Friendship Elementary
Farm City Day is one small element of the Wolf Administration’s strategy to ensure the future success of Pennsylvania’s agriculture industry. Read more about the Pennsylvania Farm Bill, Governor Tom Wolf’s bold, aggressive investments in Pennsylvania agriculture to grow opportunities and resources, remove barriers to entry, and inspire future generations of future agriculture leaders.
–Shannon Powers, Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture