Michigan Farm Bureau Puts Ag Education on Wheels
AFBF Staff
photo credit: Michigan Farm Bureau, Used with Permission
Launched for the 2023-2024 school year, Michigan Farm Bureau’s Farm Science Van allowed the organization to reach 2,130 additional kindergarten-fifth grade students at 14 schools, an 11% increase from the previous school year’s engagement through their Farm Science Labs.
The Farm Science Van’s trained educators deliver in-school lessons that align with content standards and agricultural literacy, providing schools with the convenience of a hands-on agriculture learning experience without the hassle of transportation or field trip permissions.
Farm Science Programs
Michigan Farm Bureau’s FARM Science Programs began in 2016 with one FARM Science Lab, a concept developed by the state Promotion & Education Committee and supported through the Michigan Foundation for Agriculture. The program has since expanded to two labs, which travel statewide to offer kindergarten through fifth grade students a hands-on, field-trip-like experience. Annually, with the support of county Farm Bureaus, the programs reach 19,000 students, representing on average 12% to 15% of Michigan’s total kindergarten through fifth-grade student enrollment.
photo credit: Michigan Farm Bureau, Used with Permission
Exploring Options
As their 40-foot classrooms started to show their age and maintenance, space and transportation challenges kept popping up, Michigan Farm Bureau began exploring other consumer engagement options with an eye toward increasing engagement and education, minimizing transportation issues and providing more flexibility.
Michigan Farm Bureau conducted a deep dive on the Labs and alternatives that included market research, teacher surveys, stakeholder feedback and a comparison of the Labs to a van to ensure cost-effectiveness.
Much of the Van program’s design is based on Lab customers’ feedback. The new offering caters to smaller schools, homeschool groups and inner-city schools with a one-day minimum reservation, compared to the Labs’ two-day minimum. In addition, the Van costs $125 per day less than the Labs, making it more cost-effective.
photo credit: Michigan Farm Bureau, Used with Permission
Reach and Engagement Up
The Van helped Michigan Farm Bureau achieve its goal of reachin more students, with participation growing from more than 19,000 students and 1,000 educators on average each school year to more than 21,130 students when the Van program was launched for the 2023-2024 school year.
On top of the additional 2,130 students across 14 schools Michigan Farm Bureau reached through the Farm Science Van program, teacher feedback also suggests the Van is more effective for connecting with students, with a 5% higher rating for student engagement and learning compared to the Labs.
New Horizon Award
The Farm Science Van garnered Michigan Farm Bureau a 2025 New Horizon Award from the American Farm Bureau Federation. The award, which honors state Farm Bureaus with the most innovative new programs, is presented annually at the AFBF Convention.
