State officials call for investment in apprenticeship programs, ag literacy

Members of the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture amended the organization’s policy to support increased investment in apprenticeships and educational programs at their 2023 annual meeting.

Members also voted for NASDA to support federal funding for agricultural education and workforce development programs, according to a news release.

“Across state departments of agriculture and industrywide, there is a tremendous need for workers with training specializing in agricultural fields,” 2022-2023 NASDA President Doug Miyamoto said in the release. “NASDA believes that investment in certificate programs, micro-credentials and apprenticeships can fast-track new graduates and those looking to switch careers into the agricultural industry while ensuring they have the knowledge and skills necessary to continue advancing the industry.”

One of NASDA’s new amendments for the organization specifically asks the USDA to develop agricultural literacy resources for guidance counselors and other school professionals to help elementary and secondary school students discover career options in agriculture, the release said.
 
“Through engaging early to showcase the reward in working in agriculture, we can support and advance a skilled and stable agricultural workforce,” Miyamoto said. “Investing in our agricultural workforce is investing in the resilience of the agriculture industry.”

To advance the same goal, the NASDA Foundation is working with the National Agriculture in the Classroom Organization, Nourish the Future, Children Learning through Outdoor Experiences via the University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture, and other partners to explore opportunities to engage with the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture’s Ag and Food Research Initiative grants focused on education and workforce development, the release said. Those grants include the Professional Development for Agricultural Literacy, Agricultural Workforce Training at Community Colleges, Food and Agricultural Non-Formal Education, and Research and Extension Experiences for Undergraduates programs. 

The NASDA Foundation also hosts the NASDA’s Next Generation program, taking place at the NASDA annual meeting this year and every year since 2015.

In less than nine years, 5.35 million jobs will be available in the agriculture and food sectors, the release said.

To learn more about careers in agriculture and what NASDA is doing to support workforce development visit nasda.org/WorkInAg.