The government of Manitoba and Manitoba 4-H council recently selected Agriculture in the Classroom as the first-ever recipient of the Alexander Cherban Agriculture Industry Development Program.
Sue Clayton, Executive Director of Agriculture in the Classroom Manitoba says she was excited when she was told that they’d be receiving the grant.
“To be the first recipient, and to get the full amount, the $50 thousand a year available, we really weren’t so sure that we would get it because we were asking for the full amount.”
With this funding Agriculture in the Classroom is creating a project called The Foundations of Manitoba Agriculture Educator Primer.
This is to provide education and awareness to enhance public trust in agriculture.
“We’re going to be able to provide an ag education primer for educators across Manitoba about the primary commodities in Manitoba so that it gives them a better understanding of agriculture.”
Clayton says that work has already started on this project.
“We had a meeting about it basically as soon as we knew that we were the recipients, and we already have someone working on this on staff. We were targeting some time in the fall, but it could be closer to the end of this year.”
On his death in 2013, Alexander Cherban, a farmer from the Swan Valley region, bequeathed his estate of approximately $900 thousand to Manitoba Agriculture and Resource Development.
The Alexander Cherban Agriculture Industry Development Program was launched in 2020, and the deadline for the next intake of applicants is July 31st.
