*Sent to all contacts, administrators, and guidance counselors.

                                                    
With the current gap between agriculture job openings and graduates available, it is imperative that we increase the talent pool for the Agriculture, Food, and Natural Resources (AFNR) sector, and engage a much larger percentage of the next generation in agricultural education and FFA.

View and download a pdf file of the 2019 Illinois AFNR Education Report.   Reply to this email for printed copies.   Please forward to colleagues and friends.  FCAE program advisors will be distributing at section agriculture teacher meetings this month.

Highlights of the 2019 Report:
*Schools with agricultural education programs have grown by 18 from 327 schools in 2016-17 to 345 schools in 2018-19.   

*Students taking agricultural education courses is at an all time high of 34,285 students in grades 6-12. 

*60% - male, 40% - female, 7% - minority, 9% - live on a farm where 50% or more of the family income is from a farm, 17% - live in a city with 20,000+ residents.   

*19,099 students are FFA members, also an all time high.

*Ag teachers employed has grown from 413 teachers in 2017-18 to 432 teachers currently in 2018-19, an increase of 19 teachers.   30% of ag teachers are alternatively(provisionally) certified.

*80% of schools allow an agriculture course to fulfill academic graduation requirements mainly in science and consumer education.

*$12,205,787 total net earnings was generated by students with work-based learning activities known as supervised agricultural experience (SAE) projects.

*72% of schools have a greenhouse.

*$54,646 is the average salary of an agriculture teacher.  $45,252 is the average salary of a first year ag teacher.

*Three Circle FFA & SAE Grant is added value to school districts. Ag teachers recorded 582 hours on average beyond the school day to assist student improvement, school environment, and community events.  Average contract length is 11 months.
  
*The Cambridge FFA Chapter was awarded the top chapter. 

*Jeff Maierhofer, Seneca High School ag teacher, was named the state winner for Excellence in Teaching Agriculture.

*664,534  preK-8 grade students grew in knowledge about food and farms through classroom lessons.

*27 colleges provide agriculture degree programs.

*3,737 students are enrolled in University agriculture degree programs.

*Demand for agriculture teachers is greater than supply. 

*28 students graduated in May, 2019, with a degree in agricultural education licensed to teach.  81 schools had vacancies for ag teachers for the 2019-20 school year.

*Agribusinesses are hiring.  A 39% shortage of college ag graduates exists.  Click for USDA Employment Summary.
 
Thank you for the support of the:
-Illinois Committee for Agricultural Education (ICAE), Amy Lehman, Chair
and
-Illinois Leadership Council for Agricultural Education (ILCAE), Doug Hanson, Chair

Reply to this email to schedule a school, community, agribusiness event, agency and organization meetings, or other functions to present highlights, accomplishments, and challenges.  Thank you for your commitment and support!