Amazing Agriculture Adventures 2024 Impact Report

Thanks to your generosity, hundreds of Manitoba students enjoyed an Amazing Agriculture Adventure in Glenlea, Manitoba this September.

Students learned about Manitoba’s livestock industry by visiting stations highlighting Dairy, Beef, Chicken, Eggs, Pork, Bees, Veterinary, 4H, Forages, and Watersheds.

For many students, this was their first visit to a farm. For others, the experience deepened their understanding of where their food comes from, how animals are cared for, and why agriculture is so important in our daily lives.

For the first time ever, AAA also included a special Career Exploration Day for Grades 9 to 12 students highlighting opportunities in one of Manitoba’s largest industries.

This event is a true partnership with industry: 80 passionate, knowledgeable volunteers supported AAA over four days. Thank you for making learning about agriculture an unforgettable experience!

Below you’ll find information about the event’s impact, as well as resources you can use to share your impact with your teams and audiences.

Overview

Participants:  Students Grades 4-5 and 10-12
Venue: Bruce D. Campbell Farm and Food Discovery Centre (Glenlea, Manitoba)
Dates:  Sept 24-27, 2024

Impact Numbers

750 young explorers and 29 teachers from Grades 4 and 5 and 10-12 participated
17 schools and 13 homeschool groups ventured through our interactive stations
40 station volunteers and 40 class host and location attendant volunteers from 11 commodities/associations engaged directly with the next generation of consumers, decision-makers and innovators
640 volunteer hours were provided by supporters to make this event possible
$28,800 worth of volunteer contributions from our partners went into running this program

Industry Support

Thank you to our incredible community of volunteers from the following commodity associations and organizations for hosting stations:

4-H Manitoba
Government of Manitoba
Manitoba Association of Watersheds
Manitoba Beef and Forage Initiatives
Manitoba Beef Producers
Manitoba Canola Growers
Manitoba Chicken Producers
Manitoba Egg Farmers
Manitoba Pork
Marg's Honey
University of Manitoba

Thank you to volunteers from the following organizations whose hands-on dedication brought this year’s Amazing Agriculture Adventure to life for hundreds of students across Manitoba:

Agra Food
AgriHub
CANTERRA SEEDS
CIBC
Cormier Berry Farm
Farm Credit Canada
Gibson Farm
Lakeview Insurance
Little D Farms
Manitoba Pulse and Soybean Growers
Seed World Group
Steinbach Economic Development
Topigs Norsvin
UPL

And a very special thank-you to the following organizations for sponsoring our program:

Topigs Norsvin (Half Day Hero)
Manitoba Chicken Producers (Classroom Hero)
Farmery Brewing (Volunteer Gift Sponsor)
BeeMaid Honey (Volunteer Gift Sponsor)

Quotes from Teachers

100% of teachers who responded to our follow-up survey after this event said they Agreed or Strongly Agreed that the AAA program increased their students’ understanding and appreciation of agriculture and the animals involved.

100% also said their students’ knowledge of agriculture and food moved from Poor/Fair to Good/Very Good because of this program.

"It was such an amazing learning experience for my Grade 3 class! Very well organized and awesome volunteers! Will definitely be using the great resources for my soil and plants units and in our daily ELA and Health activities! One of the kids commented on the fact that if it wasn't for all these animals, we would not exist on this planet! Another student said they want to work on a farm when they are older because they love animals!"
Tanya Cote, Fort La Reine School PLP

"After my kids learned how to spot a queen bee, we tried visiting local bee farms to spot queen bees and that was our way to explore more about bees and help them to survive."
Jatinder Jaura, Elwick Community School

“We LOVED our guide, Stephanie! It was so great to have a helper that took us around throughout the day. She helped remind the kiddos when to be quiet around the animals, etc. and was great with the kids! Thank you!”
Jordyn White, École Margaret-Underhill

Quotes from Volunteers

"Loved seeing the excitement and amazement in the students' eyes as they learned about Manitoba agriculture! Loved the entire day. All commodity group hosts did an exceptional job sharing information with students!"

"A teacher told me she felt she was learning just as much as the kids. The energy was fantastic -- kids were curious to learn more, and many said it was their first time visiting a farm."

"The day was extremely well-organized and thoughtfully planned! Fabulous venue, an incredible opportunity for schools, and as a volunteer, I learned so much! The volunteer shirts were also a nice touch -- comfy, soft, and cute!"

"The organization and flow of the day were tremendous! AITC-M staff were always available for questions or concerns, which made me feel confident and supported in my role."

"It was great to see not only the kids learning but the teachers as well. This year, the class I hosted could answer many agriculture questions, even though they were from the city. Awesome to see the teacher had already prepared them!"