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Georgia approves new elementary agriculture courses

The new standards are a direct result of Senate Bill 330, legislation passed in 2018 which provides for a pilot program to develop and implement agricultural education in elementary schools.

Based on the recommendation of State School Superintendent Richard Woods, the State Board of Education this month approved standards for agricultural education courses in kindergarten through fifth grade.

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The new standards are a direct result of Senate Bill 330, legislation passed in 2018 which provides for a pilot program to develop and implement agricultural education in elementary schools. The courses will be offered in 20 elementary schools across the state that were selected for the pilot program last fall.

“I’m thrilled about this work and the opportunity to add agricultural education at the elementary level,” State School Superintendent Richard Woods said. “At the upper levels, our kids have a chance to learn the business and practice of agriculture, but now we can begin to build that understanding for our younger students in an age-appropriate way.”

State Sen. John Wilkinson, a former FFA program manager and agricultural education teacher and current chairman of the Senate Agriculture and Consumer Affairs committee, sponsored the legislation.

“Food doesn’t come from the grocery store,” Sen. Wilkinson said. “Four or five generations removed from the farm makes it hard for students to understand where their food really comes from. This new program will help kids understand the powerful impact of agriculture on the prosperity of our state.”

Georgia Rep. Terry England, a member of the House Education and Agriculture and Consumer Affairs committees as well as Appropriations chairman, added:

“I feel it’s important that kids understand where food, shelter, and fiber come from. This is a step in the right direction.”

Elementary Agricultural Education – Pilot Schools

School System School Name
Appling County Appling County Elementary
Banks County Banks County Elementary
Berrien County Berrien County High
Bibb County Heard Elementary
Brooks County Quitman Elementary
Colquitt County Hamilton Elementary
Colquitt County J. M. Odom Elementary
Colquitt County Norman Park Elementary
Crawford County Crawford County Elementary
Decatur County Jones Wheat Elementary
Fulton County Cogburn Woods Elementary
Grady County Whigham Elementary
Irwin County Irwin County Elementary
Lowndes County Westside Elementary
Montgomery County Montgomery County Elementary
Morgan County Charter School System Morgan County Elementary
Pickens County Hill City Elementary
Pike County Pike County Elementary
Putnam County Charter School System Putnam County Primary
Wheeler County Wheeler County Elementary

5 Comments

5 Comments

  1. Noel Giles

    June 26, 2019 at 3:55 pm

    I’m excited for this in our county! I would love to host something like this with my 3rd graders at our Gifted Center (Gear) in Colquitt County.

  2. Dewell

    June 26, 2019 at 8:46 pm

    Great Idea ! Needs Every Grade & Every County & also include inmate’s grow what they eat !

  3. Sandra White

    June 26, 2019 at 9:15 pm

    Good….everyone needs to learn where food comes from and how it grows…..they will become more self-reliant children and adults.

  4. Joy Whisenhunt

    June 27, 2019 at 5:49 pm

    Does anyone know when these courses will start?

  5. Lance Hammonds

    June 28, 2019 at 10:27 am

    Is it to late for other school systems to get involved?

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