When we work together to provide the best potential future of agriculture, good things happen. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Acting Administrator Andrew Wheeler signed a first-time Memorandum of Understanding with the National FFA Organization to advance educational outreach for EPA’s ongoing environmental education and public health initiatives.
“Today’s MOU will expand EPA’s environmental education programs to an important and diverse new audience: the National FFA Organization’s 670,000 student members,” said EPA Acting Administrator Andrew Wheeler. “The MOU reflects the importance of agricultural practices in promoting environmental stewardship and builds on our recent collaborations with America’s farmers and ranchers.”
“This agreement between FFA and EPA recognizes how FFA members are ready to be leaders in environmental fields,” said National FFA President Luke O’Leary. “Whether it’s studying pH levels in soil or running experiments to reduce water runoff, we’re active stewards in preserving and enhancing the resources needed to grow our food.”
EPA will continue to work with FFA to ensure environmental education is learned and practiced by all Americans to achieve EPA’s mission of protecting human health and the environment.
In the MOU, the EPA plans to:
- Coordinate with FFA on EPA internship opportunities and other opportunities that will help FFA members pursue careers with today’s various environmental fields, particularly those relevant to agriculture.
- Recognize, through EPA’s Office of Environmental Education, the important role that FFA plays in school-based education, especially for environmental education and learning, as it carries out its statutory programs.
- Educate FFA on relevant policy and environmental issues across EPA’s 10 regions.
In return, The FFA intends to:
- Work with EPA and others to attract, educate, inspire, and prepare students for careers and opportunities within today’s various environmental fields.
- Collaborate with EPA to extend reach, access, and efficiency of efforts to educate and inform young people of environmental issues and opportunities.
- Provide feedback to EPA relative to implementation of Federal programs for training, resource, guidance, and other related purposes.
- Foster communications between the agricultural education community and EPA to distribute programming, resources, and other information as applicable.
We believe this is a great start to expanding the knowledge and accessibility of agricultural resources. Click here to read the full MOU.
