By advocating for agriculture and fostering agricultural literacy within a community or circle of influence, you can combine your heart for servant leadership with your passion for agriculture. Read on for a few ways you can influence change and increase agricultural literacy.
Donate to reduce waste.
Did you know that 30% to 40% of all food grown doesn’t make it to the table? This year donate a portion of your harvest to local food pantries, homeless shelters or animal sanctuaries. Are you more of a hunter than a gatherer? Sign up through Farmers and Hunters Feeding the Hungry to donate venison and other big game to participating meat processors.
Make your purchases matter.
Do you shop through platforms like Amazon? Sign up for Amazon Smile. It’s the same shopping experience, but you have the option to donate a portion of the purchase price to a charity you choose from among more than 1 million organizations. You can even designate your donation to support the National FFA Foundation by selecting it as your nonprofit choice.
Activate your network.
Whether you are a TikTok influencer or trying to keep your daily streak up on Snapchat, everyone has connections. It’s easy to leverage them for good and advocate for the things you care about. Share facts and messages from science-based agricultural organizations and see how far your message can travel.
Become a well-rounded volunteer.
How do we become an advocate for agriculture if we spend our time only with like-minded people? Find ways to give back to the community outside of agriculture by coaching a youth team, volunteering at church or sitting on the board of a civic organization. In no time, you will find yourself making a difference while also sharing your experiences about agriculture.
Share your knowledge.
There is no greater way to advocate for agriculture than through educational programs. Sign up to lead an agriculture-inspired experiment during a school pep rally, volunteer to read a farm-inspired book to children at the local library or develop a workshop and request time on various organizations’ meeting agendas.
The list can go on and on. For more ways to advocate for agriculture, visit FFA.org/Ag-Literacy-And-Advocacy.
