Our mission is to foster awareness, understanding, and appreciation of how we produce food and fiber, what we eat, and how we live, by helping educators, students, and their communities learn about and engage with agriculture and food systems.
Established in 1985, New York Agriculture in the Classroom (NY AITC) is a partnership of Cornell University, the NYS Department of Agriculture and Markets, the NYS Education Department, Cornell Cooperative Extension, and the New York Farm Bureau.
We work with pre-K through middle school teachers, Cornell Cooperative Extension and other community educators, farmers and producers, volunteers, parents, and community partners to increase agricultural literacy in New York State.
Less than 2% of our population actually produces food on farms, while nearly 20% of our nation's workforce is in some way, shape, or form involved in the processing, marketing, distribution, and sales of food and fiber products. We all rely on agriculture every day--from food we eat, fibers our clothes are made of, and other materials we use each day to agriculture's relationship with our environment, economy, and society. And yet, little is taught in most schools about agriculture and food and fiber systems. NY AITC aims to increase agricultural literacy while supporting opportunities for hands-on teaching and learning, meeting state standards, enhancing student achievement, and connecting with community.
NY AITC envisions a day when educators, students, and communities in New York:
- Recognize the connection between agricultural production and the daily consumption of food and fiber products
- Appreciate the economic, social, historical, and scientific significance of agriculture in our local and global society
- Understand the complexity of today's agriculture and food systems
- Explore the many career opportunities in all areas of agriculture and food systems
Contact Us
Angela McGregor Hedstrom
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Interim Coordinator, Agriculture in the Classroom
607.255.9253
acm237@cornell.edu
Dr. Travis Park
Director, Cornell Agricultural Outreach and Education
607.255.8122
tdp9@cornell.edu
New York Agriculture in the Classroom
Department of Horticulture
Cornell University
Ithaca, NY 14853
Phone: 607.255.9253
Fax: 607.255.0599
NYAITC@cornell.edu
Specialty License Plates Support NY AITC
In 2003, Lt. Governor Mary Donohue, along with State Agriculture Commissioner Nathan L. Rudgers and State Commissioner of Motor Vehicles Raymond P. Martinez, unveiled New York's "Ag Tag" custom license plate, the proceeds from which will benefit the New York Agriculture in the Classroom Program.
More Detail
Email List & e-Newsletter
AITC-L is New York Agriculture in the Classroom's electronic mailing list. Sign up below to receive all the latest NY AITC news and updates in your e-mail. This is our first line of communication for workshops, grants, and other program information.
Click here to join our Email list.
NY AITC Partners
- NY AITC Advisory Committee
- Cornell Cooperative Extension
- New York Farm Bureau
- New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets
- NYS Education Department
- National Agriculture in the Classroom
- New York Farm Bureau Foundation for Agricultural Education
