Expanding Agriculture: Showing Students That Agriculture Is More Than Farming

When most people hear the word agriculture, they probably picture a farmer, a tractor, cattle, crops or a field stretching toward the horizon.

But if you had been at the College of Central Florida on Friday, September 18, you would have seen a very different picture of agriculture.

You would have seen drones, technology, electricity, science, business, skilled trades, animals, environmental systems, equipment, education and, increasingly, artificial intelligence.

You would have seen the future.

Approximately 150 area high school agricultural students participated in the third annual Expanding Agriculture: Workforce program hosted by UF/IFAS Extension Citrus County at the College of Central Florida. The hands-on event introduced students to the tremendous variety of careers available throughout agriculture and helped them connect their interests and talents to real workforce opportunities.

Agriculture is not simply about what happens on a farm. It is an enormous ecosystem requiring people with many different skills.

The event opened with Dr. Marnie Ward, who leads the Citrus County UF/IFAS Extension Center and has served as an Extension Agent in Citrus County for 13 years. Her passion for agriculture and creating opportunities for young people was evident throughout the day.

The featured speaker was Dr. Saqib Mukhtar, Associate Dean and Assistant Director for Extension at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, or UF/IFAS. He challenged students to think much more broadly about what an agricultural career can look like.

Florida is a year-round agriculture and aquaculture state, and agriculture touches every county. UF/IFAS information presented to students noted approximately 44,400 farm operations covering 9.7 million acres, with growers and fishers producing between 200 and 300 different commodities.

But the numbers demonstrating how far agriculture reaches beyond production are even more impressive.

When multiplier effects are considered, Florida’s agricultural and food system supports approximately $387.4 billion in sales revenue and nearly 2.5 million jobs throughout Florida’s economy. Agriculture is one of Florida’s largest industries, second only to tourism.

That is not simply a farming industry. That is a workforce ecosystem.

Nationally, USDA projections presented at the event estimate approximately 104,766 annual job openings from 2025 through 2030 for college and career graduates in food, agriculture, renewable natural resources and the environment.

The breakdown tells an important story. Forty-one percent of those projected openings are in business and management, 21 percent in science and engineering, 19 percent in food and biomaterials production, and another 19 percent in education, communication and governmental services.

Agriculture needs accountants, managers, engineers, scientists, educators, technicians, mechanics, entrepreneurs and technology specialists.

One of the best examples we saw Friday came from a conversation with Clint Jackson, manager of system reliability for Withlacoochee River Electric Cooperative.

WREC was one of the organizations helping students understand workforce opportunities connected to agriculture and rural infrastructure, including its lineworker program.

Clint explained how WREC uses sophisticated drone technology to inspect electrical lines. These drones can fly along the lines and help identify potential problems, allowing workers to determine where repairs or replacements may be needed and helping maintain system reliability.

Even more interesting is what happens after the technology identifies an issue. Automation and artificial intelligence can assist workers in analyzing information and determining what needs attention.

Think about that for a moment.

A student interested in agriculture might discover a career involving electricity, line work, drones, data, automation and artificial intelligence.

That student may never spend their career driving a tractor, but they can still be an important part of the agricultural workforce.

That is why events like Expanding Agriculture are so valuable.

Students explored opportunities with more than 20 organizations and educational programs, including UF/IFAS Extension, College of Central Florida, Withlacoochee River Electric Cooperative, the UF College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, Workforce Technical Center, the Florida Forest Service, Mosquito Control, Ag-Pro, Riverbend Cattle, Bill’s Bees and several other businesses, agencies and agricultural organizations.

They could learn about mechanics, welding, drones, plants, animals, business management, forestry, environmental systems, equine careers and emerging technologies.

Florida State Representative J.J. Grow, a UF/IFAS alumnus, was also there supporting the students.

What struck us most was how well this event connects to the broader conversation about career and technical education and the future of work.

There is sometimes a false choice presented between college and skilled trades. We have never believed that is the right way to look at it.

Students need pathways.

Some will go directly into the workforce. Some will attend a technical college. Some will attend a four-year university. Others will pursue advanced degrees. Many will combine several of those pathways throughout their careers.

Agriculture demonstrates why we need all of them.

The UF/IFAS Agriculture Extension Initiative encompasses animal and forage systems, plant systems, food systems and integrated systems. Those integrated systems increasingly include farm economics, technology, precision agriculture and artificial intelligence.

The technology is changing, but the need for talented people is not.

Artificial intelligence is not something that belongs only in a technology classroom or computer science department. It is becoming part of how we grow food, manage natural resources, inspect infrastructure, operate equipment, analyze data and make businesses more efficient.

The student who loves animals may have a future in veterinary science or equine management. The student who loves working with their hands may become a technician, welder, mechanic or lineworker. The student who loves computers may find a career in agricultural technology, drones, automation or AI. The student who loves business may work in finance, logistics, marketing or agricultural management.

There is a place for every talent.

A workforce pipeline does not begin when a student graduates. It begins when a young person encounters an opportunity and realizes, perhaps for the first time, I could do that.

That happened for 150 students at CF on Friday.

We are grateful to UF/IFAS and our local Extension professionals for investing in our students and to the College of Central Florida for opening their campus for this outstanding event.

We also want to recognize and thank the high school agriculture teachers who brought their students, supported their participation and helped make the day possible. Their work does not begin or end with an event like this. Every day, these teachers introduce students to agriculture, develop their skills, connect classroom learning to real-world opportunities and help young people see possibilities for their future. Their support is an important part of building the agricultural workforce our communities and state will need.

We also appreciate the community partners who contributed their time, expertise and resources, including M & B Dairy, which provided milk, yogurt and smoothies; Farm Credit of Central Florida, which provided lunch; and Mike Scott Plumbing, which provided water.

Those contributions represent more than a successful event. They represent a community investing in its future.

Perhaps the most important lesson from Expanding Agriculture is this:

Agriculture is not just about producing what we need today. It is about developing the people, skills and technology we will need tomorrow.

Our students deserve to see that future.

More importantly, they deserve the opportunity to be part of it.

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Constitution Day: Teaching the Next Generation About Freedom

There are some things we teach in school because they are required, and then there are things we teach because they are important. Understanding the Constitution of the United States falls firmly into the second category.

Today, September 17, is Constitution Day, marking the day in 1787 when our nation’s founders signed the United States Constitution. For me, the Constitution is not simply a document sitting behind glass in Washington, D.C., or something students just memorize for a civics test. It is the foundation of our government and one of the reasons we enjoy the freedoms and rights that we sometimes take for granted.

That is why I am especially proud of the way Citrus County Schools approach Constitution Day. Here, it is not simply one day on the calendar. It is part of a larger effort that includes Freedom Week and Founders Month, giving our students additional opportunities to learn about the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, the Bill of Rights, and the principles upon which our nation was founded.

I think that matters more than ever. Our children need to know what these documents say, but they also need to understand why they were written and what they mean. What does freedom really mean? Why did our founders create three branches of government? Why did they place limits on government power? Why are certain individual rights specifically protected? And perhaps most importantly, what responsibilities come with those rights?

Those are important conversations for young people to have, and they should be approached with curiosity, respect, and an appreciation for the fact that our nation has never stopped debating what those founding principles mean in practice. Our responsibility in our schools is not to tell students what to think. It is to make sure they have the knowledge, historical context, and critical-thinking skills necessary to think for themselves and become informed citizens.

One of my favorite traditions associated with Constitution Day in Citrus County is something very simple: a small, pocket-sized copy of the United States Constitution.

Thanks to the continued generosity and support of Citrus County Supervisor of Elections Maureen “Mo” Baird, every Citrus County student taking Civics and Government will once again receive a copy. Think about that for a moment. A student can put the Constitution in a backpack, a desk drawer, or even a pocket and carry it around. It is a small book representing a very big idea and a tangible reminder that the freedoms we enjoy did not simply happen. They are rooted in principles established nearly 240 years ago and preserved through generations of Americans who have believed those principles were worth defending.

I want to thank Supervisor Baird for continuing this tradition, along with Superintendent Dr. Scott Hebert, Coordinator of Academic Programs and Instructional Materials Dr. Al Balk, our teachers, administrators, and everyone who works to make civic education meaningful for our students. Our students also have access to the Constitution and other founding documents on their school-issued devices, putting these important resources literally at their fingertips.

There is still something meaningful about holding that little Constitution in your hand. Maybe that is because citizenship is ultimately personal. It is about understanding the rights we have, but also recognizing the responsibilities we carry. It is about understanding that living in a constitutional republic means we have both the freedom to express our views and the responsibility to respect the rights of others.

That brings me to another reason Constitution Day means so much in Citrus County. Our schools have a long tradition of honoring the men and women who have served our country. Citrus County Schools are proud to be the first Purple Heart School District in the nation, and every one of our schools has been designated a Florida Purple Star School.

Those designations are more than signs on a wall. They remind us that the freedoms protected by our Constitution have often come with tremendous sacrifice. Generations of Americans have worn a uniform, left their families, served far from home, and in some cases given their lives so that the rest of us could continue to enjoy the freedoms represented by that great document.

That is an important lesson for our children. We should teach them about the Constitution, the Declaration of Independence, and the Bill of Rights, but we should also teach them to appreciate the people who have defended the freedoms those documents represent. Education and gratitude belong together.

That is why Constitution Day and Freedom Week matter. They give us an opportunity to stop for a moment and remember that the freedoms we enjoy are not just words in a history book. They are part of the foundation of our country and part of the responsibility we pass from one generation to the next.

Nearly 240 years after the Constitution was signed, its pages are still being studied by students in Citrus County classrooms. This week, some of those students will put a copy of that Constitution into their pockets and carry it home.

I hope they do.

Because sometimes a small book can carry a very big reminder: freedom is something worth understanding, something worth appreciating, and something worth teaching the next generation to value and protect.

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Twenty-Five Years Later, We Still Remember

There are moments in history that divide time into before and after.

September 11, 2001, is one of them.

Twenty-five years later, most us in America who lived through that day can still remember where they were when they heard the news. We remember the images, the uncertainty and the heartbreak. But we should also remember what came next: extraordinary courage, sacrifice, compassion and a nation that came together.

This September 11, as we mark the 25th anniversary, we have an important responsibility. We must remember, and we must teach the next generation why we remember.

In Citrus County Schools, September 11 provides that opportunity.

Across our district, students and staff pause for a moment of silence. Teachers use that time not simply to explain what happened, but to help students understand the human stories behind the history: the nearly 3,000 lives lost, the families forever changed, and the first responders who ran toward danger when others were desperately trying to escape it.

Our three high schools also continue the tradition of bringing social studies students to the 9/11 Exhibit at the Valerie Theatre. There, students can see authentic artifacts recovered from Ground Zero.

For these young people who were not alive in 2001, history can sometimes feel distant. Standing in front of an actual artifact from Ground Zero changes that. It makes history real.

We owe a special debt of gratitude to School Board Member, the Honorable Joe Faherty, whose efforts helped bring these artifacts from New York to Citrus County years ago. His work has given generations of local students an opportunity to connect personally with one of the defining events of our time.

Inside our schools, teachers have also created their own traditions of remembrance.

At Citrus High School, ESE teacher Kathy Oliver has spent 17 years building a remarkable memorial. What began as a classroom project has grown into a hallway filled with flags and tributes created by students. The D-wing has become a living reminder that, as Kathy has often said, on September 11, 2001, “the world stood still.”

Florida’s 9/11 Hero Day law reinforces the importance of teaching these lessons, particularly the bravery and sacrifice of first responders. But remembering September 11 in Citrus county school never will be viewed simply as fulfilling a statutory requirement.

It is a privilege.

Our children deserve to know the stories of the firefighters, police officers, EMTs and civilians who demonstrated extraordinary courage. They deserve to understand the sacrifices made by families who sent loved ones to work that morning and never saw them return.

And they deserve to know that, in the aftermath of tragedy, Americans came together.

Twenty-five years later, that may be one of the most important lessons of all.

God bless our heroes, our children, our schools and the United States of America.

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