UNDERREPRESENTATION IN US AGRICULTURE

growing strong stem students of color

According to the National Farmers Union, 40% of the American population identifies as Black, Indigenous, or People of Color (BIPOC), but only 5% of farmers do. The USDA also reported that Black-operated farms account for only 0.5% of the total farmland in the U.S. Like all STEM industries, agriculture is seeking diversity, equity, and inclusion as a means of staying competitive in an increasingly diverse and global marketplace.

In urban areas, students are oftentimes less knowledgeable about agriculture and its impact on their daily lives, thus creating a disconnect from a young age. The Sustainable Agriculture, Gardening and Ecology (SAGE) Program is designed to teach middle students in BIPOC communities in Grand Rapids about sustainable agricultural practices, gardening, and the impact on ecology and the environment.

PRACTICAL APPLIED SCIENCE CURRICULUM

city students learn farming

The curriculum follows the Next Generation Science Standards for middle school students, which includes life science objectives, such as the growth
of organisms, ecosystem dynamics, heredity and variation of traits, natural selection, and biodiversity.
While life science is the scope, agriculture is the focus of each lesson and activity. We will also focus on
sustainability, and hope that students will understand that science can be used to solve the agricultural
challenges we face as a global community.