LINWOOD, N.Y. — The NYS Agricultural Society Foundation wants to partner with local community organizations in 2019 to increase the agricultural knowledge of junior high and older students in the Empire State. By doing a better job of informing kids about how their food is produced, and the diverse and exciting career opportunities that are available to explore in agriculture and food production, the Foundation envisions that a stronger tie can be forged with future consumers, opinion leaders and decision-makers. The Foundation will award grants up to $10,000 for projects implemented in 2019. Due December 1, 2018, grant applications can be completed online at www.nysagsociety.org.

In 2018, the Foundation is supporting four projects including:

1. PRO DAIRY Junior Dairy Leader Program – a yearlong effort that helps prepare 16 to 19-year old youths for successful careers in the dairy industry and agriculture.
2. Agricultural Career Explorations Program at Cayuga County CCE – targeting youth in grades 8-10 to learn about different types of agriculture, career options, and visit agricultural college programs.
3. Concrete Safaris – supporting the garden internship cohort of Concrete Safaris’ Outdoor Leadership Academy in local resident engagement and garden productivity. Concrete Safaris’ mission is to prepare youth in East Harlem and beyond to lead healthy lives and shape their environment through outdoor education, play, exploration, and community engagement.
4. Kingston YMCA – providing an opportunity for high school students to experience agriculture from soil to plate through a farm-based youth development program and afterschool cooking crew.

“Our Foundation donors, who represent the NYS agricultural and food industry well, want to deliver a strong, positive message for agriculture in local communities,” said Mark Modzeleski, NYS Ag Society Foundation president. “By working with organizations that have the requisite skills and experience, we can deliver a positive impact to all involved. Speaking on behalf of our board of directors, it’s exciting to see the energy and creativity that local groups are expending on behalf of agriculture. In 2019, the sixth year of our grant program, we expect to see even greater results.”

At 187 years old, the New York State Agricultural Society is one of the oldest association of its kind in the US. It was organized in 1832 to foster, promote and improve the NYS food and agricultural industry through education, leadership development and recognition programs. Credited with initiating the NYS Fair and the College of Agriculture & Life Sciences at Cornell University, the Society formed the NYS Agricultural Foundation in 2011 to help promote its mission in local communities. In addition to providing educational grants, the Foundation sponsors 15 young adults or Ambassadors ages 18-25 to attend the NYS Ag Society Forum conducted each January, which is the largest statewide meeting of its kind.

–NYS Agricultural Society Foundation

For more articles out of New York, click here.