Food and Fiber Day Teaches Agriculture

Nearly 400 4th graders from Taylor, Callahan, Jones, and Nolan counties learned about agriculture at the 107th Annual West Texas Fair & Rodeo in Abilene, Texas at "Food and Fiber Day" held Sept. 14. "Rope in the Fun" was the theme of this year's nine-day fair and rodeo. On the specially designated Food and Fiber Day, the students learned about energy, swine, beef, dairy, cotton, sheep, goats, and wheat.

The Sweetwater and Abilene USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) field offices discussed water erosion using the rainfall simulator. They also gave a demonstration using an apple representing the earth to show how much depends on so little. They explained to the students how all living things depend on the soil -- plants, people, animals, even fish, rely on the soil for food. The exercise demonstrated how only a small portion of our land is capable of producing food.

The presentation was part of Texas Farm Bureau's "Planet Agriculture," a display that helps students in explore various facets of food and fiber production in Texas. How agriculture contributes to the lifestyles of people throughout the world is also presented. The objective is to introduce the school children of Texas to agriculture and its important contribution to society.

Presenting for NRCS were Mandi Ligon and Justin Corazine of the Sweetwater field office, and Brandon Moore and Lee A. Knox of the Abilene field office.

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