The Voice of the Farmer Garden State Program will enable students and visitors to learn about the value U.S. farmers contribute to the economy, sustainability, and global food security while engaging with educational content in participating states. The program will offer comprehensive learning materials for outdoor gardens at several local venues, including state departments of agriculture, state fairgrounds, and educational facilities.
 
“Today, farmers make up less than 2 percent of the U.S. population, so students and consumers are further removed from where their food comes from than generations in the past,” Farm Journal Foundation CEO Tricia Beal said. “Our goal with the Voice of the Farmer Garden is to showcase the diversity of crops grown in the U.S. and explain the value that farmers create for our economy, our environment, and our overall food system.”
 
“We are excited about the opportunity the garden offers to create dialogue between visitors, especially of the next generation, and the agriculture industry,” NASDA Foundation Executive Director Elizabeth Rowland said. “We are so proud to join forces with Farm Journal Foundation to bring the Voice of the Farmer Garden to state departments of agriculture across the nation.”
 
Voice of the Farmer Garden exhibits feature a range of different crops that visitors can view throughout the growing season. Educational content available for visitors includes an interactive mobile phone-based walking tour, videos narrated by farmers, and informative signs, as well as virtual reality videos and classroom-based learning materials.
 
Throughout the experience, visitors can learn about how farmers produce our nation’s food, the different steps in the agricultural supply chain, how conservation agriculture contributes to environmental sustainability and much more.

Background:

The Voice of the Farmer Garden was founded in 2019 by Farm Journal Foundation with a flagship garden at the U.S. Department of Agriculture headquarters on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. Since then, Farm Journal Foundation has partnered with the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture Foundation to expand the reach of the garden’s educational content and open access to students and visitors nationwide.

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The NASDA Foundation is the only educational and research organization that directly serves the nation's state departments of agriculture. NASDA Foundation’s mission is to enhance American food and agricultural communities through education, outreach and research. The NASDA Foundation works with states to nourish people and communities while serving as the stewards of the environment and public trust. To learn more about NASDA Foundation, please visit http://www.nasda.foundation.

Farm Journal Foundation is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that works across the agricultural spectrum – engaging farmers, policymakers, students, industry, and consumers – to educate about agriculture’s role in global food security and advocate for positive changes to our food system. The organization focuses on four key issues: global food security, agricultural research and development, nutrition, and conservation. To learn more, visit www.farmjournalfoundation.org.