FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Karen Brokaw
Phone: 402-432-2299
AG Sack Lunch Program Sponsored by the Nebraska Soybean Board and
the Nebraska Pork Producers Association Off to Fast Start
Lincoln, NE–Nebraska’s fourth-grade classes have been quick to take advantage of a new program
developed by the Nebraska Soybean Board (NSB) and the Nebraska Pork Producers Association
(NPPA) to introduce students to the importance of the agricultural industry to the state’s economy.
The NSB and NPPA’s Nebraska AG Sack Lunch Program is designed to educate Nebraska
fourth-graders on the important role agriculture plays in the state’s economy, from a past, present and
future perspective. The program takes advantage of the fact that over 20,000 fourth-graders visit the
State Capitol Building in Lincoln each year as part of their curriculum.
The program includes a sack lunch featuring nutritious food produced in Nebraska, a 15minute presentation by Ag Ambassadors on the vital role agriculture plays in the state’s economy, and
a fact-filled card game designed for students to take home and play with their families.
“Ag Ambassadors,” who are trained UNL students, make the brief presentations, which
typically run 10 to 15 minutes. “Some students just aren’t aware of where their food comes from, just
taking it for granted”, one Ambassador said.
Their presentations tell students that one in three jobs in Nebraska have some connection to
agriculture, including a variety of support industries such as equipment manufacturing
and sales, building construction, transportation, and food retailers. Of these jobs, only about 10% are
traditional farmers.
“We’d been talking with the Soybean Board for several months about putting together a
program that would help us reach a young audience about the importance of agriculture to Nebraska,”
said Kyla Wize, youth leadership and events specialist for the Nebraska Pork Producers Association.
“The kids come to Lincoln to tour the State Capitol Building as part of their fourth-grade
curriculum anyway, so we thought this was a good time to reach them with our message. And they
need to have lunch, so it all came together.”
Invitations were sent to 660 fourth-grade teachers in 44 counties in the eastern third of
Nebraska. Response was overwhelming. The program initially specified a total of 1,300 lunches
would be provided. Within one day, all 1,300 had been reserved, prompting the NSB and NPPA to
increase lunch allotments to 4,000.
NSB Chairman Lisa Lunz says she really wasn’t completely surprised by the response. “We
thought the program would be appealing to teachers because it presents excellent information to the
students, and they would not have to bring their lunches for the day.”
Class visits started in mid-October. By the end of November, 565 students will have been
served in 11 events. For February through May 2011, 75 more events are booked, which will serve
approximately 3,570 more students. The program, which runs through the entire 2010-2011 school
year, is already full, coordinators say.
Early feedback from participants points toward a successful program that meets the goals of
the sponsoring groups.
Brad Wellman brought his fourth-graders from Fort Crook Elementary, which serves the
Bellevue and Offutt Air Force Base community.said the program was a great way to bring attention to
Nebraska products. “This is a very well-organized program and I hope it will continue in the years
ahead. Thanks to the Nebraska Soybean Board and the Nebraska Pork Producers
Association for offering this to our students. Many of our students don’t have an agricultural
background and come from many areas of the USA, so they gained a lot from our trip to Lincoln.”
Given the early successes of the AG Lunch program, it may become an annual event.
“My hope is that we offer the program again next year,” Lunz says. After all, we get a new
group of fourth-graders every year. We’ll be looking at how this pilot program went, and possibly
expanding involvement to other groups.”
For more information, call Karen Brokaw at Brokaw Marketing, 402-432-2299.
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Brokaw Marketing
402-432-2299 • fax 402-488-9190