This article appeared in the Spring 2016 issue of Pulse Crop News.

Don George, CAP General Manager

When asked “where does food come from?”, too many kids say the grocery store. The Classroom Agriculture Program (CAP) is trying to change that.

CAP has been around since 1985, and during that 30 years, more than 600,000 grade four students have participated in the program. These students have learned where their food really comes from and why agriculture is important to Alberta.

CAP’s vision is: “To provide students with quality, comprehensive agriculture learning experiences that lead to a greater understanding of and support for the agriculture industry in Alberta”. This is accomplished through a volunteer base of about 300 people who work in the agriculture industry. Volunteers are the real strength of CAP.

A class may have presentations from a veterinarian, someone who works on a chicken farm, someone who owns a grain farm, works in a soil lab, or runs a country grain elevator. As you can see, the variety of professions in agriculture is large and varied. In addition to the volunteer presentation, each student also receives an activity booklet. The booklet is full of puzzles and games. Each CAP commodity member has a page in the booklet.

CAP members are: Alberta Barley, Alberta Beef, Alberta Canola, Alberta Chicken, Alberta Institute of Agrologists, Alberta Irrigation Projects, Alberta Milk, Alberta Pork, Alberta Pulse Growers, Alberta Veterinary Medical Association, Alberta Wheat, Eastern Irrigation District, and the Egg Farmers of Alberta, and our partner is Agriculture for Life. APG continues to support CAP with yearly contributions.

CAP is endorsed by the Minister of Education and the Minister of Agriculture and Forestry. This year, CAP was honoured to be chosen as the winner for the 2015 Friends of Education Award, given out by the Alberta School Boards Association.

If you would like to become a part of CAP, either as a volunteer, member, or partner, or if you would like more information, please contact Don George, General Manager of CAP by phone at 587-877-2544 or email don.george@classroomagriculture.com.