Agriculture in Urban Areas: How This Chapter Is Doing It
Nestled in the bustling streets of Salt Lake City, Utah, resides Granite Mountain FFA, a chapter that faces some unique challenges. Granite Mountain FFA is located at the Granite Technical Institute, a career and technical education (CTE) center in the Granite School District. All eight high schools bus their students from across the valley to attend two-period-long classes for a variety of different industries. The GTI, formerly a branch of the Rocky Mountain Medical Center, was transformed from a hospital into a five-story learning center.
The agriculture department is housed in an adjacent Annex building with some unique features: a vet lab, three greenhouses and a dissection lab in construction. As an affiliated chapter, Granite Mountain FFA enrolls 1,200 to 1,400 FFA members. Its number of enrolled members is so large that it has a fall and spring Greenhand FFA Degree ceremony that is separate from its end-of-year banquet because of its high recipient rates, which is unique for a chapter.
According to the four teachers and advisors, space is a huge problem. While many other schools have on-campus barns or boarding, there is no room for that at the GTI. So, the animal science teachers have come up with a beneficial partnership. Located 10 minutes away is Wheeler Farm, a city-run historical farm. Once a week, the animal science teachers take their classes, which include Equine Science, Animal Science 1 and 2 and Veterinary Assisting, to the farm to give students an opportunity to learn hands-on — an uncommon experience for many students in the Wasatch Valley.
The three greenhouses located at the Granite Technical Institute.
“We get some kids who don’t even know what farm animals are,” says Gracie Williams, who teaches equine and animal science.
Williams says that one of the biggest challenges the chapter faces isn’t funding or membership; it’s outreach and awareness. As a result, Granite Mountain’s large team of 10 officers travel to the eight high schools in the district for their “Club Rush,” an event hosted by high schools that helps clubs gain membership. While there aren’t usually many CTSOs in attendance, this FFA chapter shows up — not to gain membership, but to make students familiar with the agricultural organization.
The issue stems not at the GTI, but at the high schools. Many counselors encourage their students to sign up for classes that the average city student is unaware of the scope of the course.
“I think the biggest challenge is finding a way to get students interested long term,” says Whitney Harding, an agricultural teacher in the plant science pathway. “I teach many freshmen who show great potential, but aren’t enthusiastic about agriculture.”
Her solution is to passionately remove the intimidating aspect of agriculture. The majority of students in her classes believe that agriculture is just farming, so she finds ways to relate them back to things students know.
Students and parents standing outside of the agriculture relocatable.
What makes Granite Mountain FFA remarkable isn’t just its size or facilities; it’s the people who refuse to let barriers define their program. From teachers who haul students to Wheeler Farm each week, to officers who show up at every high school to spark interest, the chapter’s success is built on connection. Its work reminds the district that agriculture is more than farming; it’s science, leadership, service and opportunity.
As teachers and officers work to bridge the gap between curiosity and confidence, they’re proving that agricultural education can thrive anywhere — even in the heart of a busy city. For many students, Granite Mountain becomes the place where they discover not just a class, but a future.
