I grew up on a family farm in Nova Scotia, studied Agriculture at the Nova Scotia Agricultural College for six years, and have worked in various aspects of agriculture for almost my entire career, including in Thailand and the Philippines. My passion for agriculture was born early and stayed strong, I can’t imagine working in any other industry. Agriculture touches so many aspects of our daily lives, and it’s crucial for students to learn about where their food comes from and what modern agriculture looks like.
Luree Williamson is the CEO of Agriculture for Life, an Alberta-based charitable organization dedicated to building a greater understanding and appreciation of agriculture and its fundamental connection to life. She comes from a long line of farmers, with deep roots in agriculture. Luree is blessed to have first-hand experience of the dedication it takes to steward the land and produce healthy, safe and sustainable food. Her background in marketing and communications serves her well, as she shares the story of agriculture with those less familiar. “Storytelling is the heart of community and tradition,” she says. “The story of agriculture brings people together at every meal.”For Luree, agriculture is life. “It connects us all,” she adds. “Agriculture is embedded in history and will drive our future. I am honoured to help learners of all ages understand agriculture and the important role it plays in our lives.”Involvement with Ag in the Classroom represents a collaborative movement for Agriculture for Life. “This movement is based on engaging, empowering and inspiring youth to realize the potential of agriculture and the possibilities the industry holds for them,” she says. “Ag for Life is honoured to be a part of this movement.”
My passion for agriculture emerged from my time spent in the classroom. As a history teacher I shared incredible stories of people living off the land, civilizations built on agriculture, exploration and innovation. My students weren’t always able to see the connection to themselves. I wasn’t that different. My mom had an incredible green thumb that I thought I hadn’t inherited. I became excited to learn about growing food myself and sharing the same excitement with the students around me. I want them to feel comfortable growing food, whether in a window box, backyard garden or farm. The more I look at the challenges around me, the more I see agriculture as a building block to the solution.
Many students are generations away from the land and understanding the value of agriculture. It is my passion to work with Educators and our Partners to share the agriculture story from the farm to our table.The Board of Directors and staff of the BC Agriculture in the Classroom Foundation are committed to build awareness about BC agriculture through programs, projects and resources. Thanks to Farmers, Growers and Ranchers we can bring the bounty of BC to the classroom. We are excited to cultivate and grow the work of this remarkable BC Agriculture in the Classroom Foundation.
Being two generations away from the farm, my passion for agriculture grew after a friend nudged me to consider taking Agroecology as my first degree at the University of Manitoba. Since then, I’ve understood that inspiring people to understand agriculture and their connection to it is a necessary part of creating a sustainable future for us all. At the grocery store a few months ago, standing in front of the eggs with my nephew a woman next to us looked stressed, “I don’t know how to choose which eggs to buy with so many choices.” My nephew turned to her and said, “Did you know that all these eggs come from Manitoba? Pick whichever one you want!” The woman turned to us, looked at me and said – “Really?” I said, ‘Yeah, the majority of these eggs come from Manitoba egg farmers.” She smiled at my nephew and told him she learned something that day. I love stories like this because it reminds me why our hands-on programs and resources are so critical in Manitoba. The future me and you are sitting in classrooms today – my hope is they graduate thinking critically about where their food comes from, and the vital role agriculture plays in their decision-making at the grocery store, at the polls and when they choose where to work. Collaborating on this goal with a national team through AITC-Canada makes the possibilities even more exciting!
I was lucky enough to grow up on a beef/swine farm on PEI. While working for NSCC, the Business Instructor asked me what I was passionate about.... it took me a moment to realize that it was Agriculture. I then made the choice to find an Ag job which brought me home to our family farm with my two daughters in 2014.This new opportunity engulfed my business, education and agriculture background... a perfect fit. Ag Education is important... too many of us no longer have a connection to where our food comes from and the people who dedicate their life to producing the food for us. AITC provides the education bale that we need to roll out across Canada!
As the Agriculture in the Classroom Coordinator for Newfoundland and Labrador, I am proud to be part of an amazing team. We connect youth to agriculture through education in an exciting, hands-on and inquiry based way. I always knew I wanted to work with youth and studied Child Development and Psychology in school which led me in the direction of Community Studies. I have developed a passion for the agriculture industry through my position and find joy in sharing the food stories of the people that provide the food on our plates throughout the province and the country. The agriculture industry has inspired me to be mindful of where my food comes from and I know that AITC programs and initiatives inspire our students, staff and teachers too.