TRENDS
Dairy Farmer George Andrew gives school children a virtual tour of his farm.
VIRTUAL TOURS EDUCATE STUDENTS ON FARMS, DAIRY INDUSTRY
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BY CAROLINE K. REFF
o many of our association members, a farm and its operations are commonplace. Not surprisingly, however, there is a large portion of the general public that has never set foot on a farm, much less understands what it takes to operate one efficiently, safely and profitably. The American Dairy Association North East aims to change that, as it has, over the past three years, been offering virtual farm tours to school children from Pre-K to Grade 12 in order educate the youngest generation about the foundation of the dairy industry. Due to geography and tight budgets, many schools cannot offer their students field trips to a dairy farm. Instead, the farm is brought to them through technology. 34 • Northeast Dairy Foods Association, Inc.
“It’s a perfect fit for these digital natives, who are using technology every day to talk to friends and family, access school materials, play video games and track down information,” said Emma Andrew-Swarthout, director of dairy industry image, American Dairy Association North East. “Connecting with others through technology doesn’t faze them at all.” The association started the program in 2018 and now promotes its virtual tours through social media within a five state region —New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware and Maryland (as well as the Washington, D.C., area). The program is farmer and Checkoff funded, so participation is free to schools. The virtual field trips are not just for fun, however. Teachers work them into lessons built around core learning
