Lifelong learners continue to seek new competencies and skills long after their formal education has been completed. No one knows this concept better than educators. To be a successful educator, teachers must commit to being lifelong learners. Bringing real world application to the skills and education their students are gaining in the classroom is imperative to opening their eyes to the possibilities that await them after their schooling is complete. With the advances in technology, science, and the ever-changing job market it is important that those educating the future workforce follow those advances to successfully engage with their students the opportunities that abound. 

We were honored to host ten teachers from across the State for a deeper dive into Arizona Agriculture as part of Arizona Ag Institute (AAI) 2.0. The teachers boarded a bus and headed for Pima County to experience some of what Arizona’s $31 Billion Ag Industry has to offer.  

Stops included Bayer Marana Innovation Center (formally Bayer Marana Greenhouses), White Stallion Ranch, the University of Arizona Food Products and Safety Lab, US Arid-Land Agricultural Research Center, the Carl Hayden Bee Research Center, Native Seeds, Civano Wholesale Growers, Green Valley Pecan, the Florida Experiment Station, Santa Rita Ranch, and the ASARCO Mineral Discovery Center and Mine Tour. 

Teachers were able to interact with a variety of individuals within the agricultural industry to learn about the deep history, science, and innovation that allows agriculture to produce more while using less. Their eyes were opened to the opportunities that await their students in this industry along with the realization that agriculture is far from the simple life that it has long been portrayed to be. 

Editor’s Note: Arizona Ag instate 1.0 (AAI) is a 4-day program that allows teachers to experience the diversity of Arizona Agriculture. Funded through the Arizona Foundation for Agriculture Literacy (AFAL) and planned by a Committee of representatives from Commodity and Industry groups, the Arizona Ag Institutes are designed to provide a first-hand look into the state’s agricultural production and businesses.  AAI 2.0 is an alumni program that offers teachers who previously attended AAI 1.0 the opportunity to experience Arizona agriculture outside of Maricopa County. To discover resources from Arizona Farm Bureau's Ag Eduction department visit our website.