Vision & Mission of Agriculture in the Classroom

Agriculture in the Classroom-SK is a nonprofit charitable organization dedicated to agricultural education. Every year, it inspires more than 70,000 youth in Saskatchewan to gain a deeper understanding of and develop a stronger connection to the food production system, while also fostering their aspirations to potentially join the industry in the future.

Agriculture Affects us All, Every Single Day

Since 1994, Agriculture in the Classroom Sask Inc. (AITC-SK) has played a pivotal role in educating youth about agriculture through hands-on activities, engaging programs and inquiry-based educational resources.

The AITC-SK team is passionate about inspiring the next generation to care about food, and is governed by a board of directors who are committed to supporting the organization's goals.

Serving All of Saskatchewan

Our curriculum-linked initiatives are available for Kindergarten to Grade 12 teachers and students across Saskatchewan at no cost. Teachers can easily incorporate agriculture in their classrooms with our over 100 resources, including storybooks, learning kits, websites, downloadable lesson plans, and more. Our programs offer students in- and out-of-school opportunities to experience agriculture up-close and hands-on. These meaningful experiences include farm tours, classroom presentations, agriculture events, school gardens, food farms, and more.

A map of Saskatchewan highlighting the 618 schools in 247 communities that AITC-SK had a presence in last year.

What We Do

By encouraging teachers to embed agriculture into their classrooms, AITC-SK cultivates an understanding and appreciation of the food and fiber system we rely on daily.

Our curriculum-based initiatives explore a wide array of concepts, such as where food comes from, food waste, STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math), career exploration, and more, with the theme of sustainability woven throughout.

We know that to drive change, youth need to have multiple positive agriculture learning experiences throughout their education journey. Every student should go on a farm tour, grow a garden, learn how to read a food label, talk to a producer, sit in a tractor, feed an animal, and learn about the abundance of career opportunities in agriculture. To create a cohesive learning journey, we strategically provide experiences at different grade levels, where each builds upon the previous one.

AITC-SK programs and resources in action: students visiting a dairy farm; at biotech blast; writing soil observations from a resource

Our Vision And Everyday Purpose

We have a vision of a Saskatchewan community that understands, appreciates, and respects agriculture.

The agriculture industry is made stronger by the trust, support, and involvement of well-informed consumers. Continuing to improve our food system is imperative to a sustainable future, and we want to motivate and inspire the next generation to be changemakers and innovators in agriculture.

High school students learn about animal sciences through hands-on activities at an agriculture career expo.

Our Mission And Promise to You

Our mission is to connect kids and agriculture through innovative, experiential, and curriculum-based programs and resources.

We promise to:

Share Saskatchewan's incredible food story through accurate, balanced, current, and science-based information about food and agriculture.
Bridge the gap between the agriculture and education communities by creating opportunities for students and teachers to meet the people involved in producing their food.
Support teachers with innovative, experiential and memorable agricultural learning opportunities that enable students to make more informed decisions related to food and agriculture.

Our Guiding Principles

Passion

We care about our food producers and are committed to building a strong, resilient agriculture future, starting with our youth.

Quality

We will collaborate to ensure educational experiences are valued and meet the needs of educators, industry partners, and students.

Integrity

We will be transparent and ensure our offerings provide accurate, balanced, current, and science-based information.

Innovation

We are dedicated to grow and continually evolve with the trends and challenges in the education and agriculture industries.

Working Together

We strive to build community among partners and an internal work environment where members feel engaged, supported, and valued.

Empowerment

We will encourage students to think critically and feel empowered to make decisions about their food choices confidently.

We Can Build a Stronger Future for Agriculture Together

Grade 12 students will soon be graduating and choosing a career, what foods to buy, and which policies to support. In 5 years, they could be writing their very first briefing note for PMRA or writing a media article on sustainable agriculture practices. In 15 years, students in Grade 2 will do the same thing. Our work starts in classrooms today.

AITC-SK is a registered charity: 88687 4692 RR0001

Testimonial

"AITC provides experiences that many children would not otherwise have. Tours such as Food Farms engage our students in a business that’s all around them but many know little about."

-Teacher, Watrous Food Farm