The concern of diminishing ag literacy is evident across the United States. This summer, a survey was taken by the Innovation Center of U.S. Dairy. The survey consisted of questions about U.S. consumers’ view of dairy. The data collected from the survey showed that approximately 7% of all American adults believe chocolate milk comes from brown cows. 
Similarly, a study was done by the U.S. Department of Agriculture in 1993 on the U.S. publics’ agricultural literacy. Through this study, it was found that 1 in 5 adults did not know hamburgers were made of beef. These statistics are eye-opening and exactly the reason the USDA and Innovation Center of U.S. Dairy carried out these studies. They wanted legislators and schools to realize how little most of the general public knows about agriculture. According to a Washington Post article, people who live in agricultural communities and people with higher household incomes tend to have a better understanding of where their food comes from. Even so, these pockets of the community that do understand where their food comes from are minuscule compared to those who live in suburbs and cities as well as those who do not have higher household incomes.
Clearly, there is a concern about how little is known about agriculture in our nation. This is not necessarily a fault of the people themselves, most of these people have never been exposed to agriculture seeing as only 2% of the U.S. population works in production agriculture. From my personal experience, living in an area in an agricultural hotbed people are still very unaware of agriculture.
My peers at a suburban, wealthy school often regarded the agricultural industry as “full of hicks” and “rednecks.” Our school would dress up as farmers to mock more rural high schools. Agriculture was never viewed in a positive light at my high school. Even at rural high schools, agriculture was seen as a career that unmotivated people pursued, staying in the town they grew up in taking over the family farm. This is the sad reality that the industry faces, the derogatory sense that has come to be associated with agriculture and agrarian life. Most of the U.S. population does not understand practices fully which then results in the antagonized image of genetically modified organisms, antibiotics, and inorganic produce. The reality is the agricultural industry is more than just the envisioned Farmer Brown, the industry is full of science, politics, and working class working together to provide for the world. A feat among feats that should be known by everyone who benefits from agriculture.
mum625
April 6, 2018 — 1:32 pm
Hi Amanda,
It is sad to see how many people are ignorant towards agriculture and an agrarian lifestyle. I personally never knew much about it because I wasn’t raised around it, but I did always feel like agriculture is much more than just maintaining a farm. I feel like people should realize that as well. Your studies show how little knowledge people have on the food they consume on a regular. Yes, I believed chocolate milk came from brown cows as well, but that was when I was in elementary school. As you stated, it is concerning seeing how little we know about agriculture and it is in part because some aren’t exposed to it. I feel like if we were exposed to it, then we would have much more knowledge to the point where people will stop mocking this lifestyle and talking down on it.
Brody David Mcelwain
April 8, 2018 — 10:24 pm
Amanda, you paint a great picture through the studies you provided in your blog post as to why agricultural illiteracy exists in the United States. You do explain that there is a stigma associated with the agricultural industry in the high school environment. I agree that this stigma exists to some extent, and I find it really surprising that this is coming from you as you went to high school in Lancaster (I presume). However, I’d like for you to explain upon your points as to why this illiteracy is a problem. How do citizen’s antagonized views of G.M.O’s, antibiotics, and inorganic produce affect the industry?
From my perspective, agricultural illiteracy is an issue because it brings way to horrific corporations such as Monsanto. I could delve into all of the “evil” things this corporation has done, but I’d assume that you’re familiar with this company as this issue is clearly important to you.
p.s. sorry this is late. I accidentally went to the other Amanda’s site, read an old article on her site, read her updated article for that week, then realized it was the wrong site..I’m a mess.