(TRENTON) – New Jersey Agriculture Secretary Charles M. Kuperus
today witnessed what he believes is the
future of agriculture, filled with bright,
young minds and dynamic teachers guiding
them. Kuperus welcomed new Agriculture,
Food and Natural Resources Education
(AFNR) teachers Katie McKee of Hackettstown
High School and Michael Butler of Phillipsburg
High School during visits to those schools.
“In order to maintain agriculture in New Jersey and keep it viable, we
must welcome new people to agriculture and equip the next generation,” said
Secretary Kuperus. “Agricultural education programs like the ones in Hackettstown
and Phillipsburg High Schools are extremely important to ensure that we will
have young people to fill the needed positions.”
 McKee -- a first year teacher
-- has been involved in agriculture for many years. The daughter of a Rutgers
Cooperative Extension agent, Katie used 4-H to learn about the industry. She
is a graduate of the Cook College, Rutgers University teacher education program
for agriculture and attended Purdue University to pursue her Masters degree in
agricultural education.
Butler -- also a first year teacher -- is himself a graduate of the AFNR education
system at Newton High School and a recent graduate of the University of Minnesota
Teacher Education program for agricultural education. In addition, he is a former
State FFA President.
New Jersey AFNR programs serve more than 2,100 students in 46 secondary school
districts. Warren County is the only county in the state in which every high
school has an AFNR instructional program. A complete Agricultural Education program
is composed of three components: class/lab instruction, supervised agricultural
experience (SAE), and FFA, which provide a well-rounded and practical approach
to student learning.
There are 35 FFA chapters in New Jersey with 1,760 students. Warren County FFA
chapters have 445 students.
Secretary Kuperus tours the Agriculture, Food and Natural Resource Education
facilities at Hackettstown High School, guided by the FFA Chapter leaders.
FFA is a national youth organization of 464,267 student members preparing for
leadership careers in science, business and technology of agriculture with 7,194
local chapters in all 50 states, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. FFA strives
to make a positive difference in the lives of students by developing their potential
for premier leadership, personal growth, and career success through agricultural
education. Visit the New Jersey FFA website at www.state.nj.us/agriculture/rural/ag_education.htm for
more information.
Secretary Kuperus tours the greenhouse at Phillipsburg High School, led by
the FFA Chapter officers.
“FFA, with its leadership and career development events, prepares students
for careers and leadership in agriculture, food and natural resources,” said
Secretary Kuperus. “But, for students to get the background they’ll
need in the job market, they also must have quality programs of instruction delivered
by motivated teachers. That is why I am encouraging these new agricultural education
teachers in Warren County to make careers out of teaching agriculture.”
Surveys show that there is a great threat of losing new teachers within the first
few years of entering the workforce. Fifteen out of every 100 vocational educators
leave the profession after the first year of teaching and about 50 leave within
six years.
In addition, professional job opportunities in agriculture are going unfilled
because there are not enough trained people to fill the jobs. A 2004 national
study by the Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service of
the United States Department of Agriculture and Purdue University anticipated
more than 52,000 annual job openings for new graduates in the food, agricultural
and natural resources fields during the next five years. However, only 32,300
new graduates from colleges of agriculture and life sciences, forestry and veterinary
medicine are expected to take jobs in the system.
Secretary Kuperus recently sent a letter to the New Jersey Congressional delegation,
urging them to support continued funding for the Carl D. Perkins Vocational and
Technical Education Act, which is a major funding source for school-based agriculture,
food and natural resource programs. A proposed elimination of the program would
result in a loss of $26 million for New Jersey schools career and technical education.
“We can see there is a great demand for trained individuals who can take
on leadership roles in agriculture, food and natural resource fields,” said
Secretary Kuperus. “I urge school administrators to continue to support
agricultural education in their schools and I ask that lawmakers in Washington
and in Trenton make it possible for these types of programs to grow and thrive.”
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