CCFB News» July 2026

During the 2025-2026 school year, Cook County Farm Bureau’s Agriculture in the Classroom Program visited 1,148 classrooms, bringing ag education to 26,480 students in 214 schools. Our Ag in the Classroom presenters taught students about a variety of topics, including crops, livestock, the farm-to-table process, Illinois’ soils, nutrition, specialty crops, agricultural careers, and what happens on a farm each season.

Feedback from teachers included:

• All of these kids are downtown Chicago city kids so learning about agriculture and farming is very new and exciting for them to learn about.
• This was beneficial to my students and my curriculum because it provided a way for students to be attentive and participate by asking and answering questions. Also, it was hands-on and the students loved the presentation very much.
• This is very beneficial because students have very little background when it comes to farming in Illinois and they are unaware of where their food comes from.
• It correlated with our curriculum and helped bring it alive!
• Through the videos and images, students were able to relate what they have been studying about Illinois and understand the importance agriculture plays in our state. Sharing about the different jobs associated with agriculture really opened the students' thinking of how crucial it is to learn about the different careers tied to agriculture.
• Our city kids need to hear about agriculture; they think food just appears.
• There was an increase in student engagement and enjoyed learning more about agriculture. Given the demographic, learning about Illinois' agriculture through this program is the closest they'll get to experience life outside of their community.
• The kids loved learning about the many ways that agriculture is intertwined in our lives.
• It's great to have expert instructors come and visit! The presenters and content were both excellent. Engaging and well organized, prepared presentations, we enjoy the hands-on activities and videos. Great presenters!
• I really, really was impressed with this. I wasn't sure how it would go and I was impressed above and beyond! I will definitely be setting this up again as it matched our curriculum perfectly.

Thank you to our presenters, Basia Bhojraj, Mike Galassini, Wayne Kolweier, Sarah Koukol, Kathy Lesser, and Betsy Yager, for their expertise and skillful presentations this school year! We look forward to bringing agricultural education to more schools, classrooms, and students next year.