California Milk Advisory Board, Dairy Council of California Partnership offers teachers, students and families science-based nutrition curriculum and farm visits in a virtual format
The California Milk Advisory Board (CMAB) has partnered with Dairy Council of California to teach ag literacy in an exciting and innovative way that brings the farm experience to students as they learn from home. The Farm to You Virtual Field Trip connects the successful Dairy Council of California Mobile Dairy Classroom assembly experience with a virtual trip to a California dairy farm, providing students with daily online lessons available now through June 5th. Educators, students and their families can find more information and sign-up for a session at HealthyEating.org/Virtual-Field-Trip.
Free to participants, the Farm to You Virtual Field Trip consists of a 45-minute Mobile Dairy Classroom lesson and “live” visit to a California dairy farm. Aimed at increasing ag literacy, the sessions teach attendees the importance of healthy eating patterns as well as where their food comes from, including a tour to teach them how a dairy farm operates, how milk and dairy products are produced, and the nutritional value of these products. Two sessions are held each day, one in the morning and one in the afternoon, from Tuesday through Friday and feature a rotating team of five farmers from Sonoma to Tulare counties.
“Farm to You is a tremendous way for children to learn about the science of agriculture while also learning where their food comes from directly from the farmers,” said Jennifer Giambroni, Director of Communications at the CMAB. “For our farming community, this is a tremendous opportunity to connect directly with consumers across the state.”
“We are proud to help educate students, families and the entire school community the importance of ag literacy and provide them with an experiential connection to where their food comes from,” said Shannan Young, Director of Food Access at Dairy Council of California. “We can encourage healthier students, families and communities by teaching them more about our food system, how to eat healthfully, and the important role of milk and dairy foods for growth and development as part of daily healthy eating patterns.”
California is the number one dairy state and has a 200-year heritage of multi-generational dairy farming. The state’s 1200 dairy farm families lead the nation in sustainable farming practices.