coming to us (and many of you, quite likely) via Comfood
Comfood Colleagues,
The “Nutrients for Life” nonprofit goal is to “…disseminate educational information to the general public, including policy makers, about fertilizers, modern agriculture and the role plant nutrients serve in improving people’s lives.”
This project, for just 3 states: The goal of the Helping Communities Grow chapter recognition program is to give FFA chapters the opportunity to help their communities become better informed about the positive role of plant nutrients, fertilizers and related agricultural issues through educational, community building and hands-on activities.
FFA = 506,199 high school vocational agriculture students in 7,429 chapters. They have many corporate sponsors, usually agribiz/Big Food types, sometimes in urban areas. Leadership and public speaking are highly valued in most projects, making FFA a real magnet for all kinds of groups contending for mindshare in food-agriculture awareness—and policy development
Question: Anyone know of FFA working directly with grassroots groups who have clear ag sustainability or organic commitments?
Rodale Institute is offering FFA students a total of $1,750 in prizes for the best video submitted by May 1.
http://www.rodaleinstitute.org/20091020/ffa_video_contest
Our invitation: “Use your creativity to show your friends and family how to become better stewards of the land by submitting a 2-minute video highlighting the benefits of developing a sustainable food system.
Focus on sustainable practices in farming and food production, referencing soil health, water quality, nutritional content of fresh food, climate change and other attributes that improve the natural resources and human elements involved.”
Please promote this opportunity for FFA students to explore ways of farming where the nutrients come from the farm itself through composting and cover crops, and not just from a bag.
Greg
Rodale Institute


For Immediate Release:
Nutrients for Life Foundation Announces Helping Communities Grow Partnership With FFA
Chapter Scholarship Program Offered in
Florida, Idaho and Iowa Focuses on Role of Fertilizer

Washington, D.C. – (AgPR) – The Nutrients for Life Foundation today announced its partnership with FFA and unveiled Helping Communities Grow, a chapter scholarship program focused on the role of fertilizer. Chapters in the states of Florida, Idaho and Iowa can compete for a top prize of $6,000. In total, the Nutrients for Life Foundation will contribute $20,000 to FFA chapters in each state.
“FFA is a fantastic organization that is training our youth to be tomorrow’s leaders,” said Nutrients for Life Foundation Executive Director Harriet Wegmeyer. “FFA’s focus on agriculture made this program a natural fit, and we look forward to a strong and mutually-beneficial relationship."
The goal of the Helping Communities Grow chapter recognition program is to give FFA chapters the opportunity to help their communities become better informed about the positive role of plant nutrients, fertilizers and related agricultural issues through educational, community building and hands-on activities. Students will gain skills in leadership, public speaking, team building and community awareness while increasing knowledge of soil science and agricultural issues.
Students in each chapter will develop a community-based program using the Nutrients for Life Foundation curriculum, Nourishing the Planet in the 21^st Century, and other NFL Foundation and FFA resources to present directly to community members. Chapters will select a theme in which their activities will be based and be responsible for setting goals and objectives, implementing a plan of action and measuring results.  After the project is complete, each chapter will submit an application summarizing their program to compete for a monetary reward.
Each chapter (up to 30 in each state) will receive a participation grant in the amount of $300 following the submission of the completed project. Monetary rewards of $6,000, $3,000, and $1,000 will be awarded to the first, second, and third place chapter programs, respectively, in each participating state.  Completed project and application dates vary in each state.
“Fertilizer has a very powerful and important role in our lives – it keeps plants, and ultimately people, healthy,” said Wegmeyer.
FFA is a dynamic youth organization that is a part of agricultural education programs at middle and high schools.
More information about the Nutrients for Life Foundation can be viewed on its Web site at www.nutrientsforlife.org.
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The Nutrients for Life Foundation is a tax-exempt status organization described in Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code and is incorporated in the State of Delaware. The Foundation was formed to disseminate educational information to the general public, including policy makers, about fertilizers, modern agriculture and the role plant nutrients serve in improving people’s lives.