Voice of Mississippi Agriculture

Mississippi teachers are stepping outside the traditional classroom and into the heart of agriculture, thanks to the Mississippi Farm Bureau Federation’s State Women’s Leadership Committee and its Ag in the Classroom Teacher’s Workshop.

Designed to strengthen agricultural literacy across the state, the two-day workshops equip educators with practical tools, hands-on lessons, and real-world experiences they can bring directly back to their students.

Teachers who’ve attended several times or for the first time agree, the benefit to the students is enormous. For Center Hill Middle School teacher, Madeline Dilley, this is her fifth ag in the classroom workshop.

“I’ve done a couple of lessons before, like in some of my small group activities to introduce, just like farming and some of the life cycles and some of the crops. And they do find it interesting.”

Center Hill Middle’s Wilson Speck is a first-time participant. Even though he grew up on a farm, Speck says his students need to hear about agriculture more often in their classrooms.

“For Mississippi, we’re an agricultural state, so we need to bring that to those kids, especially in the eighth grade when they’re transitioning to high school.”

In 2026, teachers attending the workshop not only gained valuable classroom materials, but also earned continuing education credits through both in-class sessions and field experiences including traveling to working farms and agricultural research facilities to see agriculture in action.

 “They did a lot of hands-on activities, and today they’re getting out and seeing how agriculture is on a daily basis,” said Renee Keith, chair of the State Women’s Leadership Committee.

From greenhouses to tree farms to a working dairy to planting sweet potatoes, between the two 2-day workshops, over 60 teachers made the most of their opportunity to see, hear, and immerse themselves in Mississippi agriculture.

“I hope they can learn how valuable it is and how vital it is to their everyday life,” Keith said. “My goal is to have them learn one new thing, at least, and take back and implement it into their classroom.”

The workshop also broadens educators’ understanding of agriculture beyond traditional perceptions.

“This is my first year to attend, and I’m really getting a lot of extended knowledge that I didn’t have before that I can go back and share with my students,” said Jenyck Litolff, a gifted education teacher.

By introducing agriculture through hands-on learning, educators say students become more engaged and curious about where their food comes from. The 2026 Teacher of the Year, Kimberly Bean says it goes beyond just teaching the student in the classroom.

“I think the experience honestly gets them up and moving around,” said Kimberly Bean. “They love to get their hands dirty in the soil and grow different things from seed and see the changes day to day.”

That engagement is critical, especially for students who may not otherwise have exposure to agriculture.

“There’s so many opportunities to show kids how things are grown,” said Wilson Speck. “Anything that will bring awareness to it—I think they’re hungry for that.”

Through Ag in the Classroom, Mississippi Farm Bureau is helping bridge that gap—connecting students to agriculture, careers, and the food systems they rely on every day. One retired, South Mississippi teacher even discovered she can volunteer in the Farm Bureau program, keeping herself involved and other teachers in the know.

“I also want to volunteer. I’m also going to return back to the school that I’ve retired from. And I’m also going to pass this information on to the teachers that are there, especially the science teachers,” said Barbara Allen.

Whether new to agriculture or a veteran of the classroom, there’s something here for everyone.

And it starts with farmers and teachers working together to bring agriculture to life in classrooms across Mississippi.