The Three-Component Model

The Agricultural Education Mission
Agricultural education prepares students for successful careers and a lifetime of informed choices in the global agriculture, food, fiber and natural resources systems.
Start an agricultural education program in your community.
Through agricultural education, students are provided opportunities for leadership development, personal growth and career success. Agricultural education instruction is delivered through three major components:
- Classroom/Laboratory instruction (contextual learning)
- Supervised Agricultural Experience programs (work-based learning)
- Student leadership organizations (National FFA Organization, National Young Farmer Educational Association and National Post-secondary Agricultural Student Organization).
Team Ag Ed is a united effort in promoting local program success and includes the following organizations and groups:
Agricultural education is a systematic program of instruction available to students desiring to learn about the science, business, technology of plant and animal production and/or about the environmental and natural resources systems. Agricultural education first became a part of the public education system in 1917 when the U.S. Congress passed the Smith-Hughes Act. Today, over 1,027,273 students participate in formal agricultural education instructional programs offered in grades seven-adult throughout the 50 states and three U. S. territories.

The National Council for Agricultural Education is the premier leadership organization for shaping and strengthening school-based agricultural education at all levels in the United States.
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