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Summary 2023 — Illinois

State Contact

Mr. Kevin Daugherty
Illinois Center for Agricultural Engagement
1701 Towanda Avenue
Bloomington, IL 61702
P: 309.261.7334
E: kdaugherty@ilfb.org
Website

Innovative Programming

Highlight of Summer 2023 into School Year 2023-2024 was a special empasis on Soil. Our Summer Ag Institute, assorted teacher training an pre-service teacher training concentrated on soil and the resources we link to this. All info can be found at https://www.agintheclassroom.org/programs-events/summer-ag-institutes/2023-summer-ag-institute/

Additionally, all major supporting commodity groups and the Illinois Farm Bureau sponsored an advertisement that played in the 2023 Super Bowl promoting Illinois Farms. A huge social media push (with well over 20 million views) also saw IL AITC developed football and ag links.

Major Program Impacts or Outcomes

In our county reporting for August and September 2023, we reached over 100,000 students with an ag message. This was a dramatic twist from 2022 when we were still battling Covid concerns. While we didn't quite reach our pre-Covid numbers (mainly due to cuts in spring field trips) we saw continued growth and re-establishment of AITC program efforts at the state, county an local level.

Program Leader Biosketch

Kevin Daugherty has been with Illinois Farm Bureau and the director of Agriculture in the Classroom since April 2000. He served as President of the National AITC Consortium in 2003-2004, and is currently the President-Elect of the National AITC Organization. Daugherty hold a BS in Secondary Education from the University of Illinois, Urbana and a MS is Adult Education from Eastern Illinois University.