About Virginia Ag in the Class

History
Agriculture in the Classroom is a part of a nationwide effort to help teachers and students understand and appreciate agriculture—Virginia and the nation’s largest industry. Virginia-Agriculture in the Classroom (AITC) has been providing services to teachers since the early 80’s. There are corresponding efforts in all of the 50 states, but it is the only initiative of its kind in Virginia.

The Virginia Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom was started in 1991 as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization. Its purpose is to support the various educational initiatives of AITC. Because of the Foundation's fund raising activities, all AITC materials, training and services are provided to teachers at no cost.

Agriculture in Virginia has changed a great deal since Jamestown, but its impact on our lives is no less important. Recognizing the importance of agriculture and the declining numbers of those directly involved in the industry, the Virginia Agriculture in the Classroom program was designed to address this lack of awareness. By investing in the education of young people, the program seeks to inform future citizens about the role of agriculture in Virginia as part of their class work. It is an important story to tell--a healthy agricultural sector in Virginia means a strong economy and a green Virginia. 

Program Impact 
Since the program began, AITC has served over 13,000 teachers through workshops. These teachers impact more than 300,000 Virginia students annually.  Additionally, AITC mails a semi-annual newsletter to a database of over 10,000 teachers and maintains an extensive website with lesson plans, booklists, and activities.