Story by: Jan Williams, Clackamas County – 4-H Youth Development Instructor

This year, 4-H in Clackamas Countypartnered with North Willamette Research and Extension Center (NWREC), Canby FFA, and Clackamas County Farm Bureau (CCFB) to host our first annual Introduction to Agriculture Day at NWREC. This was organized in response to Canby’s new superintendent’s interest in offering more agriculture opportunities to students at a younger age to encourage awareness. All third-grade youth in the Canby School district got to experience:

■ A farm tour by farm workers showing the tractors, machinery, and greenhouses
■ Meeting agriculture scientists presenting plants and experiments on the farm
■ Meeting teen FFA members and their sheep
■ Petting a 4-H rabbit and meeting 4-H teen members.

Introduction to Agriculture Day 2023 is in the planning stages. Future plans include middle school youth to encourage them to consider adding agriculture and FFA in high school.