Foundation for Agriculture Announces 18th Book of the Year

The American Farm Bureau Foundation for Agriculture presented its 18th Book of the Year award to author Peggy Thomas for “The Soil in Jackie’s Garden.” The award was presented at the American Farm Bureau Federation’s 106th Convention.

“The Soil in Jackie’s Garden” follows Jackie and her garden friends as they discover the wonders of gardening, soil secrets and the magic of composting. They embrace the joys of planting a garden, nurturing and harvesting their own food, and recycling scraps to compost, ensuring that the “magical cycle of growth and sustainability continues anew.”

Thomas is the author of more than 20 award-winning nonfiction books for children including “Hero for the Hungry: The Life and Work of Norman Borlaug” and “Full of Beans: Henry Ford Grows a Car,” which earned the Foundation “Book of the Year” award in 2020.

“It is a great honor to have ‘The Soil in Jackie’s Garden’ recognized by the Foundation,” Thomas said. “I am grateful for the support of this agricultural community, and proud to write the kinds of stories that lift it up. This book was a team effort, and I share this award with Neely Daggett for her beautiful illustrations, and with the amazing team at Feeding Minds Press who understood my vision and helped this book grow. Thank you so much!”

The Book of the Year award springs from the Foundation’s effort to identify “Accurate Ag Books,” a collection of nearly 500 books for children, teenagers and adults that accurately cover agricultural topics. Book of the Year selections are educational, help to create positive public perceptions about agriculture, inspire readers to learn more and touch their readers’ lives as well as tell the farmer’s story. The Accurate Ag Books database is available at http://www.agfoundation.org/recommended-pubs.

To accompany “The Soil in Jackie’s Garden,” the Foundation has created an educator’s guide and an Ag Mag on soils. They are available here.

Financial Support of the Foundation

Several state Farm Bureaus were recognized at convention for exemplary financial support of the Foundation.

State Farm Bureaus receiving the Scholar Award are Delaware, Georgia, Illinois, Maryland, Oklahoma and Pennsylvania. The Scholar Award is given to the six state Farm Bureaus with the highest total donations to the Foundation within their membership groups.

Twenty-eight state Farm Bureaus qualified for an Apex Award: Alabama, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Virginia, Washington and Wyoming. The Apex Award is given to state Farm Bureaus that have increased total contributions to the Foundation by 10% or more over the previous year.

Thirty-two state Farm Bureaus qualified for the Leader Award: Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Wisconsin and Wyoming. State Farm Bureaus are recognized with a Leader Award when each of their board members donates at least $50 to the Foundation.