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NIFA's Agriculture in the Classroom Program (AITC) serves nearly 5 million students and 60,000 teachers annually through workshops, conferences, field trips, farm tours, and other educational activities. AITC programs include working with state AITC activities engaged in a variety of issues relating to agricultural literacy. Other programs emphasized by the NIFA AITC office include:*Science literacy*Agricultural careers*Nutrition*Pre-service and professional develop opportunities for teachers.The disciplines of agriculture and education have been related for much of our nation's history. When most Americans lived on farms or in small towns, students often did farm chores before and after school. Old schoolbooks have numerous agricultural references. As the farming population began to decline, agricultural emphasis decreased in educational materials as well.A core group of educators and agriculturalists pushed for more youth education about agriculture. They recognized the interlocking role of farming and food and fiber production with environmental quality, which included wildlife habitat, clean water, and the preservation of forests. This group went on to promote the national effort of AITC. Today AITC continues to help students gain a greater awareness of the role of agriculture in the economy and society so they will become citizens who support wise agricultural policies.

The Agriculture and Food Research Initiative - Education and Workforce Development (EWD) (formerly the Food, Agriculture, Natural Resources and Human Sciences Education and Literacy Initiative, or ELI) focuses on developing the next generation of research, education, and extension professionals in the food and agricultural sciences. In FY 2018, EWD invites applications in four areas: professional development opportunities for K-14 teachers and education professionals; training of undergraduate students in research and extension; fellowships for predoctoral candidates; and fellowships for postdoctoral scholars. See EWD Request for Applications for specific details.

The McGovern-Dole International Food for Education and Child Nutrition Program (McGovern-Dole) key objectives are to carry out:1) preschool and primary school food for education programs in foreign countries to improve food security, reduce the incidence of hunger, and improve literacy and primary education, particularly with respect to girls; and, 2) maternal, infant, and child nutrition programs for pregnant women, nursing mothers, infants, and children who are five years of age or younger.

The Office of Pesticide Programs (OPP) is solicitingapplications from eligible parties for an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)cooperative agreement to provide financial assistance to an eligibleorganization for a pesticide safety program, including training and education,aimed at reducing exposure to pesticides for agricultural workers, theirfamilies and the agricultural community. The grantee will conduct a nationalprogram to educate farmworkers about how to reduce risks from pesticides. Aspart of this program, the grantee will also train pesticide safety educatorswho will work with farmworker service organizations, growers and other membersof the agricultural community in key rural, agricultural areas with highpesticide use and large numbers of farmworkers to conduct interactive pesticidesafety programs for agricultural workers and their families. The grantee mayutilize existing EPA approved worker and children protection pesticide safetytraining and education materials, may develop new and/or improved materials andcollaborate with other EPA grantees to address pesticide safety issues forfarmworkers and farmworker children. All training materials should be targetedat the low literacy, predominately non-English speaking agricultural workerpopulation. EPA expects to provide an estimated $500,000 annually, depending onthe Agency's budget, for a total of up to $2,500,000 for five years (2020through 2025).

The Agriculture and Food Research Initiative - Education and Workforce Development (EWD) focuses on developing the next generation of research, education, and extension professionals in the food and agricultural sciences. In FY 2020, EWD invites applications in five areas: professional development for agricultural literacy; training of undergraduate students in research and extension; fellowships for predoctoral candidates; fellowships for postdoctoral scholars, and a brand new program for agricultural workforce training.