IALF-Annual-Report-2020

Iowa Agriculture Literacy Foundation
5400 University Ave.
West Des Moines, IA 50266
515-331-4182 info@iowaagliteracy.org
2020
Annual
Report

www.IowaAgLiteracy.org
www.IowaAgLiteracy.org
INSPIRING EDUCATORS
Teacher professional development workshops and courses give
educators the skills, tools, and background they need to be able to
teach agriculture in their classroom. IALF conducted 11 of these
courses – virtually – this past summer. IALF also provided three
graduate level courses and as well as presentations at teacher
conferences.
FOCUS ON STUDENTS
IALF conducts classroom programming – in person or virtually – on demand
with programs like Journey 2050 that teaches sustainable agriculture in a fun,
online gaming platform. Virtual STEM festivals, virtual farm tours, and even
virtual fair activities allowed students to learn in a hands-on fashion even while
practicing social distancing.
CREATING RESOURCES
More than 180 lessons for grades K-12 are available on the IALF website
connecting agriculture to a variety of subjects and core standards. There are
also more than 450 lessons aligned to national standards through the curriculum
matrix. Student magazines targeted toward elementary and middle school
students enhance science, social studies and language arts learning. The
publications are available in Spanish. There are also now eight books in the My
Family’s Farm series that highlight major Iowa commodities.
SUPPORTING LOCAL AND REGIONAL EFFORTS
County Farm Bureau organizations and other partner and affiliate organizations
offer Agriculture in the Classroom programming to schools and students in their
local and regional areas. This team of education providers ensures that students
across the state are learning about agriculture. IALF supports their efforts in a
variety of ways with resources, curriculum, and training.
RECOGNIZING EXCELLENCE
Clarke Community Elementary School teacher, Tara Norman, was recognized
as the Excellence in Teaching about Agriculture award winner. She has
integrated agriculture in math, science, social studies, and other subjects. She
even started an elementary agriculture club for students in grades 3-6.
In times of
struggle, like a global
pandemic, we often
go back to the basics
of what is important in
meeting our needs -
things like food. In this
light, the importance
of agriculture cannot
be overstated. This
challenging year has
brought disruptions to
the food supply chain,
but that teachable
moment has ushered
in more awareness to
how our food gets
from the farm to our
fork.
That is one of the
reasons why I am so
passionate about
agricultural literacy
and so proud of the
work that the Iowa
Agriculture Literacy
Foundation has
accomplished this
year. With schools
closing in the spring
and distance learning
or hybrid learning in
the fall, IALF met the
needs of teachers
and students with
virtual adaptations of
lessons and virtual
programming.
Our mission is to
educate Iowans
regarding the breadth
and
global
significance of
agriculture. Iowa’s
role in producing
corn, soybeans, pork,
beef, turkey, eggs,
and dozens of other
commodities and
goods through the
agricultural sector
puts us in a leading
role on the world
stage. I have seen
Agriculture in the
Classroom efforts
across the state
expand over the past
six years with
enthusiasm. Since
2014, IALF has
worked with or
engaged nearly
115,000,000
students and more
than 20,000
teachers!
But we couldn’t
do it without you.
Thank you for your
support of IALF!
Lindsay Calvert
IALF Board Chair
Iowa Corn Growers Association
Thank you!

www.IowaAgLiteracy.org
www.IowaAgLiteracy.org
Virtual adaptations!
Lessons for remote learners.
My Family’s Dairy Farm!
Printed 12,000 copies!
Website visitors!
A 344% increase over 2019.
Professional Development!
Graduate level courses!
35
14
Specialty Crops!
Six lessons on lavender!
Impact
Numbers collected in January align with National Agriculture in the Classroom Organization reporting.
40K
Students
Model
304,000 students learned about agriculture and 3,000 teachers were trained.
National Center for Agricultural Literacy logic model guides program development
Blog visitors!
A 172% increase over 2019!
247K
1.2K
Podcast Plays!
Outstanding in Their Fields!
Spanish resources!
Translated Iowa Ag Today!
Selected Financial Data
We all know that
schools are strapped for
budgetary resources and
that often teachers dip
into their own pockets to
ensure they have what
their classroom needs.
We strive to eliminate as
many financial barriers as
possible to all teachers
can use our materials and
all students can learn
about agriculture.
IALF’s total end-ofyear
net assets were
$108,139. These financial
figures are based on
year-end financial
statements without audit.

www.IowaAgLiteracy.org
www.IowaAgLiteracy.org
Get Involved!
Iowa will host the National
Agriculture in the Classroom
Conference in 2021! Volunteer
to help or plan on attending and
participating!
Show Your Support!
Add a specialty license plate to
your vehicle! Proceeds support
Iowa FFA, Iowa 4-H, and
Agriculture in the Classroom.
Contact or Follow Us!
Email: info@iowaagliteracy.org
Facebook: @iowaagliteracy
Twitter: @iowaagliteracy
Instagram: @iowaagliteracyfoundation
Blog: iowaagliteracy.wordpress.com
Podcast: Outstanding in Their Field
STAFF
Will Fett, Executive Director
Cindy Hall, Education Program Manager
Chrissy Rhodes, Education Program Coordinator
Melanie Bruck, Education Program Coordinator
Melissa Anderson, Administrative Assistant
Ellie Cook, Education Programs Intern
$100 to
$999
$50 to $99
At a Distance
The COVID-19 pandemic forced many
teachers and schools to consider mixed
instruction for students or to transition to
100% online classes. Many Iowa schools
moved between remote, hybrid, and fully
in-person models assessing the changing
conditions as they moved through the
school year. With this need for in-person
and virtual lessons, the Iowa Agriculture
Literacy Foundation developed virtual
learning models that could be paired with
our normal teacher lessons and can suit
both needs.
School districts implemented strategies
for safe schools that involved some
amount of continued online instruction and
virtual learning for groups of students or
periods of time. Students participated in a
combination of facilitated and independent
learning opportunities that take place at
school and at home, which requires some
new instructional approaches and content.
Agriculture in the Classroom programs
offer content-rich virtual programming.
Schools require teachers to adapt to the
“new norm” of teaching and learning.
Changes include finding new ways to
blend face-to-face and virtual teaching,
staggered teaching times, teaching in new
settings, complex scheduling, and more.
Partnering with Agriculture in the
Classroom can help support teachers,
students, and families when they most
need it.
$50,000 and
above
$25,000 to
$49,000
Farm Credit
Services of
America
National
Agriculture
in the
Classroom
Organization
$2,500 to
$9,999
$10,000 to
$24,999 Bayer CropScience
Carroll Co. Farm Bureau
Dollar General Literacy
Cargill
CHS Foundation
Corteva Agriscience
GROWMARK
Iowa Beef Industry Council
Iowa Dept. of Agriculture and
Land Stewardship
Iowa Dept. of Transportation
Iowa Egg Council
Iowa Soybean Association
Midwest Dairy
Nutrien
Tyson Foods
USDA NRCS
West Pottawattamie County
Farm Bureau
Foundation
Harrison Co. Farm Bureau
Iowa Dept. of Education
Iowa Turkey Marketing
Council
Iowa Dept. of Natural
Resources
Shelby County
Cattlemen's Association
$1,000 to
$2,499
Bayer Fund
Carroll Co.
Cattlemen's
Association
Natural Fertilizer
Services, Inc.
Shelby County
Community
Chest
Silos &
Smokestacks
National Heritage
Area
Agriland FS, Inc.
Aspinwall Coop Co.
Melanie & Richard Bruck
Lindsay Calvert
Gary Collins
Coon Rapids Rotary Club
Michael Fara
Will Fett
Jennifer Fischer
Jim Gardner
Harrison Co. Soil & Water
Conservation District
Sharon Heim
Jim Heithoff
Iowa Savings Bank
John Deere / Lauren Kornmann
Barb Lykins
Joel McKeever
Montgomery Co. Farm Bureau
Puck Enterprises
Dean and Esta Raasch
Connie Riesselman
Shelby County Community Foundation
David and Mary
Dickinson
Daniel Elliott
Cindy Hall
Mark Hamilton
Nancy Hamilton
Randy Heitz
Bill Iwen
Judy Iwen
Becky Rea
Lance Scott
Betty Stamp
Board of Directors
Lindsay Calvert, Chair Iowa Corn Growers Association
Amy Powell, Vice Chair ISU Extension & Outreach
Ronnette Vondrak, Sec./Treas. Iowa Farm Bureau
Joyce Hoppes
Iowa Pork Producers Association
Morgan Hammes
Corteva Agriscience
Casey Anderson
Iowa Beef Industry Council
Laura Elfers
Silos and Smokestacks National Heritage Area
Vic Jaras
Iowa Department of Education
Karen Jones
GROWMARK
Julie Kenney
Iowa Dept. of Agriculture and Land Stewardship
Morgan Minnehan
Iowa Turkey Federation
Bre Wagner
Iowa Soybean Association

515-331-4182
5400 University Ave.
West Des Moines, IA 50266