At first glance, the partnership between National FFA and Microsoft might seem puzzling. But as Microsoft executive Mary Snapp explains, agriculture is all about technology.
“Talent is everywhere but opportunities are not,” says Snapp, vice president of strategic initiatives at Microsoft. “A Microsoft and FFA alliance is more natural than you think, as FFA students use technology in classrooms on their way to doing a better job producing food, fuel and fiber for the world.”
To ensure FFA members are introduced to technology in agriculture, Microsoft provided FFA advisors in four states with Microsoft FarmBeats for Students kits, trainings, headsets and computers. Microsoft also donated computers and headsets to all 2024 New Century Farmer participants as well as the classrooms of several National FFA Teacher Ambassadors.
2024 New Century Farmer participants (also pictured above) react to receiving donated laptop computers and headsets from Microsoft.
Hands-On Learning Opportunities
In Wisconsin, De Pere High School agriculture teacher Adam Wolf is one of the FFA advisors receiving FarmBeats for Students kits. These kits enable live data collection to help students monitor a variety of plant variables such as soil moisture, light and ambient temperature. Using Microsoft MakeCode and the FarmBeats kits’ environmental sensors, students gather data about plant health and make decisions based on their findings.
“It tests the soil temperature, how much moisture is in the soil and how much light is being received by the plant,” Wolf says. “Students get instant feedback on what is happening.”
After collecting the data, students learn how to apply what they’ve learned to improve productivity and save resources such as water and fertilizer.
“Helping students gain introductions to the ways technology is changing agriculture gives them a taste of using data to make better decisions,” Wolf adds. “I’m really happy to receive this donation from Microsoft and the continuous support they’ve had for FFA and agricultural education.”
Fort Atkinson High FFA advisor Abby Kurt is also thrilled to receive FarmBeats kits. “It’s going to be an amazing opportunity for my students,” says the second-year teacher from Wisconsin. “These kits allow our students to have those experiences with technology before they head out into the world, where agriculture is one of the fastest-changing industries.”
Growing up in rural Kansas, Snapp says she’s known FFA is one of the premier youth development organizations in the country for a long time. It would be “a big miss” if Microsoft didn’t partner with FFA in the tech giant’s philanthropic work, she says. “Our partnership has been an amazing opportunity for Microsoft, and I hope it is for FFA, too,” she adds.
Learn more about Microsoft’s continued partnership with FFA here.
