South Carolina Ag in the Classroom officially launched its new mobile Ag Learning Lab yesterday at Blue Ridge Elementary School in Seneca. The new lab was made possible in part by a generous award of $50,000 from the Duke Energy Foundation. The foundation also awarded an additional $20,000 in scholarships to help Title I schools secure the lab.
SC Ag in the Classroom’s Ag Learning Lab is an educational experience that brings the farm to school. Students in grades K-8 who visit the lab learn about important South Carolina commodities and how many of them go from the field to their plate. The lessons are aligned to state learning standards, so students can apply math, science, English and social studies principles to agriculture. Students see first-hand the importance of agriculture in providing food, fuel and fiber.
“We are excited about this continued partnership with Duke Energy,” said Harry Ott, South Carolina Farm Bureau Federation President. “Through their foundation, they are investing in our local communities and providing an exceptional opportunity for students to learn more about where their food comes from.”
“Agriculture is very important to our State,” said Representative Bill Whitmire, Chair of the House Ways and Means Education Subcommittee. “The Ag in the Classroom program is integral in making sure the next generation continues to appreciate farms and farmers.”
Since the Ag Learning Lab debuted in 2023, more than 20,000 students from 218 schools have had the opportunity to experience the lab’s interactive lessons. Funding from the Duke Energy Foundation supported 12,000 students to date and will help reach another 6,000 for the 2025-2026 school year. The Duke Energy Foundation has granted over $100,000 to SC Ag in the Classroom.
“It’s important for our next generation of students to not only know the source of the food they are eating, but also the impact that farming has on South Carolina’s economy,” said Trent Acker, government and community relations manager for Duke Energy. “Duke Energy is proud to power thousands of farms and related businesses across the state, and we are excited to support this program and the new mobile learning lab.”
The Ag Learning Lab accommodates between five and eight elementary or middle school classes per day. An AITC certified teacher accompanies the trailer to lead students in engaging, hands-on learning experiments. Funding from the grant is available to schools located in the Duke Energy service area with a population of at least 60 percent free-and-reduced lunch.
For more information about Ag in the Classroom and to reserve the Ag Learning Lab, visit www.scfb.org/aglab.
Ag in the Classroom is a non-profit, 501©3 education foundation created to promote awareness and recognition of the importance of the sources of our food and fiber.
South Carolina Farm Bureau is a grassroots, non-profit organization that celebrates and supports family farmers, locally grown food and our rural lands through legislative advocacy, education and community outreach. The organization, founded in 1944, serves over 95,000 member families in 47 chapters. For more information, please visit www.scfb.org.