State Programs

State Summary 2010 — Minnesota

State Contact

Mr. Alan Withers
Minnesota Agriculture in the Classroom
625 Robert Street North
St. Paul , MN 55155
P: 651.201.6688
F: 651.201.6117
E: alan.withers@state.mn.us
Website

Classroom Resources

All resources listed below are online at www.mda.state.mn.us/maitc

1) Minnesota AgMag Series for grades 4-6......major new copy and some revised copy 2) Ag is Everywhere student placemat

3) AgMag Jr......new graphics and photos

4) Farm Animal bookmark

5) FFA Ag Literacy Challenge.........new activities developed for use with local chapters

Major Program Accomplishments or Outputs

1) Celebrating 25 years of offering the popular student Minnesota AgMag Series to grades 4-6. This demonstrates great staying power for MAITC!

2) Our new AgMag Jr. first grade market is expanding, with sponsor funds already secured for the 2011-12 school year.

3) Ongoing financial and program support for MAITC from the MN Department of Agriculture remained strong and committed. In these tough economic times, and with huge budget unallotments from state agencies, the program remains in the Governor's budget.

4) Established new partnership with Minnesota FFA by developing FFA Ag Literacy Challenge Program

5) Partnered with several social studies organizations to offer summer agriculture bus tour for fifty K-12 teachers. Partners included: MN Center for Social Studies; MN Alliance for Geographic Education; MN Historical Society; MN Council on Economic Education; and MAITC

Major Program Impacts or Outcomes

1) Demonstrated the power of using agriculture content to drive contextual learning in social studies when the MN Center for Social Studies chose agriculture as the theme for their 2010 summer bus tour for teachers of geography, history, economics and civics. The tour was a big hit and will again be offered in July of 2011.

Biosketch

Al Withers is both state contact and program director for MN Ag in the Classroom. This is his 26th year of leading the program. He is on staff in the Ag Marketing Division at the MN Department of Agriculture. Withers holds a B.A. in Speech Communications and Marketing from the University of Minnesota. He has experience in radio broadcasting, the non-profit and business sectors, and in state government. He is also an award-winning dill pickle packer and canner!