The initiative, which has become a cornerstone of community outreach for the organization, represents a collaborative effort between the Oklahoma Farm Bureau Women’s Leadership Committee and the Oklahoma Farm Bureau Foundation for Agriculture. Together, these two entities designed the program with a singular, vital mission: to spread agricultural literacy to children across the state by providing classrooms and libraries with a carefully selected collection of books that accurately portray the modern agriculture industry, its practices, and the people who dedicate their lives to it.
The announcement of this year’s recipients highlights a high level of interest and enthusiasm among educators statewide. The eighteen winning teachers were chosen from a remarkably competitive pool of 212 total applicants representing schools from all corners of the Sooner State. Demonstrating a commitment to supporting every educator who took the time to apply, the program ensured that no applicant left empty-handed. Every teacher who applied but was not selected to receive a full bushel basket of books was instead awarded one free, accurate agricultural book tailored specifically to their classroom’s grade level, ensuring that hundreds of students across Oklahoma will still benefit from the initiative.
Mignon Bolay, chair of the Oklahoma Farm Bureau Women’s Leadership Committee, emphasized the organization’s enthusiasm for supporting the state’s educational community and fostering a lifelong love of reading intertwined with real-world knowledge.
"The Women’s Leadership Committee is proud to support these Oklahoma teachers and their students," Bolay said. "We hope these books will be a source of learning and fun as they discover the world of agriculture."
The Bushels for Books program is open broadly to Pre-Kindergarten through eighth-grade teachers, as well as school librarians, across Oklahoma. By targeting these formative educational years, the program aims to plant the seeds of understanding early, ensuring that children grow up with a realistic and appreciative view of where their daily necessities originate.
Organizers point out that as generations pass, the connection between the average consumer and the family farm continues to stretch and thin. With fewer people growing up directly involved in production agriculture, educational initiatives like Bushels for Books have taken on an added layer of urgency.
Kerry Givens, president of the Oklahoma Farm Bureau Foundation for Agriculture, addressed this societal shift and the critical need for bridging the knowledge gap in classrooms. As people become progressively more removed from the day-to-day realities of farming and ranching, Givens noted that it is increasingly vital for young people to understand the complex journey their food takes before reaching grocery store shelves and dinner tables.
"As people are becoming more removed from the farm, it is increasingly important for them to know where their food comes from," Givens said. "We hope these books will help students gain an understanding of agriculture and the families that work hard to provide food for the world."
Through the pages of the books provided in the baskets, students will have the opportunity to explore various facets of the industry, ranging from crop production and livestock care to the science, technology, and economics that keep modern farms operating efficiently. The literature serves not only as a reading resource for literacy development but also as a window into a vital sector of the state and national economy, highlighting the dedication of the farm families who sustain communities large and small.
As the selected teachers prepare to integrate these new literary resources into their curricula, the Oklahoma Farm Bureau continues to champion educational programs that bridge classroom learning with the rich agricultural heritage of the state. Through the continued efforts of the Women’s Leadership Committee and the Foundation for Agriculture, programs like Bushels for Books ensure that the next generation of Oklahomans grows up informed, appreciative, and deeply connected to the land and the people who work it.
