The Compeer Financial Fund for Rural America, the Farm Credit association’s corporate giving program, awarded $149,114 through the Agriculture Education and Classroom Equipment Grant Program this year. A total of 55 high schools within Compeer Financial’s territory in Illinois, Minnesota and Wisconsin will receive grants of up to $3,000 each. The funds will support agriculture education programs and equipment in the classroom, directly impacting the lives of 11,917 students.
The purpose of this grant program is to promote agriculture education and inspire youth to gain a deeper understanding of the agriculture industry, by funding programs and modern classroom equipment. “This program is designed to help schools expand their agriculture education programs and connect students with the latest technology,” said Karen Schieler, Senior Corporate Giving Specialist. “With students getting back to in-person learning, it’s more important now than ever to give schools the resources they need to foster an interest in the ever-changing agriculture industry with hands-on learning experiences.”
The organizations receiving grants in 2021 include:
Wisconsin
Amery School District: compactor, shovels, wheel barrows, enclosed trailer and pruning equipment.
Barron High School: implementing Principles of Agriculture- Plant Science, and Animal and Plant Biotechnology Curricula.
Beaver Dam High School: supplies for the garden, high tunnel, water tank and other supplies.
Brillion Agriculture Department: rubber boots and boot racks, trail cameras, straps and storage, SD cards, readers and holders and GPS units.
Cambridge School District Severson Learning Center: lumber to create raised garden beds.
Cochrane-Fountain City Agriculture Department: hydroponic growing systems.
Columbus High School: hydroponics system and supplies.
East Troy High School: beekeeping observation hive, incubator, egg trays, wick pads and candlers and flow hood.
Ellsworth High School: hydroponics towers.
Glenwood City Agriculture Department: Trout in the Classroom equipment, Food Science equipment and supplies for Learning to Grow Center.
Jefferson Agriculture Dept: germination chamber.
Lincoln Alma Center-Humbird-Merrillan Agriculture Department: swine breeder artificial insemination simulator and bovine AI cervix training kit.
Melrose-Mindoro School District: purchase seeds, soil, pots, grow lights and equipment to maintain the hydroponic system.
Oshkosh North Agriculture Department: aquaponics system and adjustable curtains for the greenhouse.
Osseo-Fairchild FFA: hydroponics unit.
Plymouth Agriculture Department: dissection kits, animal tissue slides, ruminant model, electrophoresis chambers, soil test kits, pruners, and gloves and saws.
Randolph Cambria-Friesland FFA: raised garden beds, garden tiller, hoes and rakes, plant cages, fencing and bee hives.
Rice Lake High School: materials for incubating and raising chicks, dissection specimens and demonstration tools for large animal science.
River Falls High School: food processor, smoker, meat and vegetable grinder, vacuum sealer, meat slicer and sausage stuffer.
Riverdale Agriculture Department: greenhouse benches.
Slinger FFA: floral cooler and grow tent.
Sparta Area School District: tower garden growing systems.
St. Croix Central High School: snowshoes for outdoor active learning.
Turtle Lake School: suture kit with curriculum, canine IV leg and bovine AI training kit with curriculum.
Westby Area High School: incubator and food dehydrator.
Illinois
Brown County FFA: scroll saws with stands, orbital sanders, dial calipers, micrometer sets, telescoping measuring devices, 12-volt and ohm clamp meters, jig saws, garden hoes and rakes.
Camp Point Central High School: welding helmets, wood router, welding curtain and storage shelving.
Fieldcrest High School: workstations or other materials needed to outfit a new greenhouse.
Galva High School: fertigation and irrigation system for greenhouse.
Metea Valley High School: aeroponics tower garden with starting supplies and dolly.
Newark FFA Chapter: 3D swine and bovine posters, plant science kit and cow model.
Ohio Community High School: Ag Economics curriculum and landscaping equipment.
Polo FFA: Bunsen burners, digital compound microscopes, dissecting microscopes, hot plate and beakers.
Riverdale FFA Chapter: ARC and MIG welders, plasma cutter and materials.
Southeastern CUSD 337- Agriculture Department: plasma table and cutter with laptop computer.
Warren High School: CO2 gas, pH, temperature and DO sensors.
West Prairie High School: belt and spindle sanders, hand planner, microwaves and swine breeder AI simulator.
Williamsfield High School: impact driver, drills, circular saw, reciprocating saw, grease gun, framing and finish nailers, combo kit, battery, jig saw and band saw.
Minnesota
Adrian High School: plant science project and animal science project curriculums; hydroponics supplies; and welding helmets, jackets and gloves.
Belle Plaine High School: plant tables, and plant transfer and display carts.
Blue Earth Area Agriculture Department: hydroponic growing systems Floriculture equipment- cooler buckets, oasis blocks, floral wire, floral adhesive, floral tape, floral shears, foam knives, flower food, ribbon, containers and design materials.
Central High School: power tools and tool accessories, engine tools, welding helmets, set of nuts and bolts, levels, voltage tester, pipe wrenches and plumbing tools.
Fairmont Area Schools: bovine milking udder simulator, swine litter processing simulator and AI cervix training kit.
GFW Schools: hydroponics system.
Glencoe-Silver Lake Ag Program: suture kits, banders, castrators-dockers, ear tag applicator, ear notchers and animal tattoo kit.
Glenville-Emmons Agriculture Education Program: cutting machine and materials, smart TVs, punch kits, shelving units, drywall cart and panel cart.
Granada Huntley- East Chain: aquaponics stations, planters, models of animals, water testing stations, guides for plant identification and hands-on lab materials.
Kenyon Wanamingo Public School: tool chests, sets of tools and specialty tools.
Medford Public School: small gas engines tools, home and auto tools, and welding tools and accessories.
NRHEG High School: MIG welder and metal.
Owatonna High School: Labquest devices.
Sleepy Eye Public School: landscape software program, miter sliding saw with stand, drills, and sanders.
SouthWest Metro Intermediate District: ultrasonic cleaner, hones, leakdown tester, air compressor, torque wrenches, micrometers, telescoping gauges and digital multimeters.
St Peter FFA: MIG welder.
Stillwater Area High School: aeroponics systems and molecular model kits.
This is the fourth year for the grant program, which has awarded nearly 250 grants, totaling more than $607,000. These grants have directly impacted the lives of 44,198 students, and touched the lives of more than 3.8 million community members. The Fund for Rural America intends to offer the grant again in April 2022.
