BLOOMINGTON, Ill. —Illinois Agriculture in the Classroom (IAITC) is a go-to resource for teachers wanting to help students grow connections to agriculture. This week, local programs received funding to continue classroom lessons thanks to IAA Foundation grants.
Eighty ag literacy coalitions serving 89 Illinois counties were awarded $668,150 in grant dollars, which can be used for materials, training, educational lessons, and activities taking place during the 2025-2026 school year.
“Providing these grants ensures teachers have a local connection and access to engaging resources to integrate accurate agricultural content into their classrooms,” said Kevin Daugherty, IAITC education director.
Last school year, 643,958 students and 36,335 teachers engaged in ag literacy lessons through IAITC. County AITC programs presented 31,233 individual programs throughout the state, an average of 390 per coalition. Classroom presentations, farm field trips, and agriculture expos add a new dimension to existing curricular standards.
In Ogle and Carroll counties, there are 26,203 student contacts made through 1,298 programs. Program activities included making butter, kneading bread, studying soil, enjoying pumpkin pie, and much more.
County coalition grants are made possible through funding partner gifts to the IAA Foundation, and the generosity of individuals who support IAITC. Operating as the charitable arm of the Illinois Farm Bureau, the IAA Foundation raises funds for the IAITC program each year, and in addition to county grants, provides funding for Ag Mags, teacher grants, Summer Ag Academies, and more.
“Illinois Agriculture in the Classroom is a true partnership,” said Susan Moore, IAA Foundation director. “From committed funding groups, employment agencies for ag literacy coordinators, in-kind services, to every volunteer and each dollar donated, we are Illinois agriculture unified in a common goal to enhance ag literacy and aid in early discovery of connections to agriculture. Our partners are committed to making ag literacy a priority, and we are grateful for that.”
Partner organizations of IAITC include Illinois Farm Bureau, Facilitating Coordination in Agricultural Education, University of Illinois Extension, Illinois Beef Association, Illinois Corn Marketing Board, Illinois
Pork Producers Association, Illinois Soybean Association, Midwest Dairy Association, Illinois Department of Agriculture and the Association of Soil and Water Conservation Districts.
In addition, annual donors include agribusiness partners and individuals with an interest in supporting the future of agriculture. For information on how individuals can contribute, or to view a listing of all major donors, visit www.iaafoundation.org. For information on IAITC, visit www.agintheclassroom.org.
PHOTO: Presenter at the annual Ag Awareness Days that take place in Ogle County. Ogle and Carroll County fourth and fifth-graders at the Ogle County Fairgrounds to learn about modern agriculture and its influences on daily living. Ag Awareness Day take youth on a fast-paced, interactive, guided tour of the science, engineering, and technology that drives today’s farm operations.
University of Illinois Extension develops educational programs, extends knowledge, and builds partnerships to support people, communities, and their environments as part of the state's land-grant institution. Extension serves as the leading public outreach effort for University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences in all 102 Illinois counties through a network of 27 multi-county units and over 700 staff statewide. Extension’s mission is responsive to eight strategic priorities — community, economy, environment, food and agriculture, health, partnerships, technology and discovery, and workforce excellence — that are served through six program areas — 4-H youth development, agriculture and agribusiness, community and economic development, family and consumer science, integrated health disparities, and natural resources, environment, and energy.