Ag Science Grant Application Deadline

From studying soil to exploring animals – the possibilities are almost endless!

Apply for an Ag Science Grant from McLean County Farm Bureau Foundation to add hands-on learning to your classroom. Pick one of the recommended kits or submit your own idea!

Need ideas? Check out the kit list or see last year’s winners here!

Application deadline is Feb. 1, 2021

Click here to apply.

2020 Ag Science Grant Winners

Even in the midst of school shutdowns and remote or hybrid learning, seven local teachers used Ag Science Grants to fuel learning about food & farming! Check out our 2020 recipients below.

Desktop Greenhouse kits for students to learn about plant growth.

Supplies for pre-K students to learn about different types of flour & make play-doh.

Food Evolution DVD for students to learn about biotechnology.

Hydroponic gardening system for 3rd-5th grade students.

Books & hands-on learning kits for Kindergarten students to learn about farm animals.

Seeds & supplies for Culinary Arts classes to grow fruits, herbs & vegetables to be used in class.

Supplies for students to learn about seed germination & container gardens.

Farm to Fridge: NCWHS Students Explore Dairy

At Kilgus Farmstead near Fairbury, sixty Normal West High School students had the chance to experience dairy from farm to fridge.

Kilgus Farmstead operates an on-farm creamery to bottle their own milk, allowing the students to see the entire process from dairy cows to gallons of milk.

“The field trip ties directly into our dairy unit,” says Family and Consumer Science teacher, Traci Verdery. “In class, the students made their own whipped cream, butter and mozzarella cheese.”

The farm tour gives them the chance to see where milk comes from, Verdery says.

The group of ninth through twelfth graders toured the barns, milking parlor and creamery plus enjoyed some ice cream from the on-farm store.

For the majority of the students, the field trip was the first time they visited a farm and had the chance to see dairy cows up close. Students learned about animal care, nutrition and food safety.

Funding for the dairy field trip was provided by an Ag Science Grant from McLean County Farm Bureau Foundation.