State Programs

State Summary 2010 — Colorado

State Contact

Ms. Bette Blinde
Colorado Foundation for Agriculture
P.O. Box 10
Livermore, CO 80536
P: 970.881.2902
F: 970.881.2587
E: bblinde@growingyourfuture.com
Website

Classroom Resources

Colorado Readers on the following topics: Careers in Agriculture, Energy, Ranching, Aquatic Nuisance Species, Exploring our Planet, Corn www.growingyourfuture.com/programs/colorado_reader/index.html

We also updated the Wool & Sheep Activity Book: www.growingyourfuture.com/programs/activity_books/pdf/Wool_Sheep.pdf

CFA Comics: Watershed Defender

CFA E-Lessons

Major Program Accomplishments or Outputs

Distributed six issues of the Colorado Reader on the following topics: Careers in Agriculture, Energy, Ranching, Aquatic Nuisance Species, Exploring our Planet, and Corn. Over 350,000 readers were printed and distributed.

Distributed over 4,000 Understanding Water Activity Books and 1200 Wool and Sheep Activity Books.

Presented information about agriculture to 500 science teachers at the Colorado Science Convention. Forty-eight teachers attended the Food Fiber and More AgriCULTURE Summer Institute.

Produced and distributed CFA Comic called Watershed Defender.

Developed 40 E-lessons.

Sent out 3 E-newsletters highlight new materials and resources about agriculture.

Major Program Impacts or Outcomes

Ninety percent of the teachers who attended our Summer Ag Institute said they will be using agriculture as a theme to teacher other academic subjects.

35,000 fourth and fifth grade students received information about agriculture through the Colorado Reader series.

Biosketch

A graduate of Colorado State University with a degree in history education. Bette Blinde is the Executive Director of the Colorado Foundation for Agriculture. She has held the position from the time the foundation was formed in 1991. As Executive Director of Colorado Foundation for Agriculture she is responsible for the production and distribution of educational materials about agriculture and natural resources. This includes publishing the Colorado Reader series. Topics published include: Livestock; Dairy; Integrated Pest Management; Corn; Wheat; Water; Forests; Wildlife; Grocery; Produce; Recycling and Cooperatives, Food Safety, Protecting Our Soil, Colorado Ranching and many more. She has also written activity books on Wildlife Management and Colorado's Wool and Sheep Industry. She works with The Denver Post Newspaper in Education program providing resources and materials for Colorado Kids Page and she writes their Stock Show curriculum. She is also responsible for Colorado's Agriculture in the Classroom program which includes classroom presentations, farm day programs, AgriCULTURE in the Classroom Summer Institute and water festivals. She works with a variety of agriculture, wildlife, environmental groups and their board of directors along with working with educators and curriculum coordinators from across the state.