On this page:
• Food Check-Out Day
• Edible Dirt
• Material Order Form

American Food is Affordable
Food in America is affordable, thanks in large part to America's productive farmers and ranchers.

Food Check-Out Day is a celebration of the bounty from America's farms and ranches and how that bounty is shared with American consumers through affordable food prices.

The average American devotes only 10.6 percent of his or her disposable personal income to pay for food.

The average American will have earned enough income to pay for his or her family's annual food supply in just 39 days. That day was February 8 this year.

Food is a bargain. While Americans must only work until February 8 to pay for their yearly food supply, last year they had to work until May 3 just to pay for their taxes.

America's farmers and ranchers are the most productive in the world. Producing safe, quality food is their job.

American Food is Safe
The farmer's job is to provide consumers with the highest quality food possible. Growing and raising wholesome, safe food is their top goal.

Food-borne illnesses can occur anytime food is involved. Basic sound food practices should always be followed.

Proper food storage, processing and handling eliminates most, if not all, food-borne risks. Thorough cooking has proved an adequate safeguard. Food should always be promptly refrigerated. Raw meat products should be segregated from cooked products. When in doubt, throw it out.

The basic products farmers produce are not usually the source of bacterial diseases. After the products leave the farm, however, meat, milk and other high-protein foods, on occasion, can be subject to contamination during processing, handling, storing and the actual preparation of the food.

The agricultural community has long supported new technologies that improve products and help make food even more affordable for consumers.

Agriculture in General
Twenty-four million American workers produce, process, sell and trade the nation's food and fiber.

Farmers and ranchers receive only 20 cents out of every dollar spent on food at home and away from home. The rest goes for costs beyond the farm gate.

There are 2.9 million farms dotting America's rural landscape. Almost 99 percent of U.S. farms are operated by individual or family corporations.

America's farmers and ranchers are true professionals. Agricultural chemicals must be applied by trained professionals. And farmers test and evaluate the soil before administering fertilizers. Farmers and ranchers don't spend hard-earned money on costly fertilizers and nutrients unless they absolutely have to.

A 2001 survey of young farmers and ranchers reveals that computers are used on 89.2 percent of America's farms.

Nearly 80 percent of today's young farmers have a cellular telephone, and nearly three-fourths have access to the Internet.

Source: Food Check-out Day brochure (2002), Developed by Texas Farm Bureau's Information & Public Relations Department

Edible Dirt
You can make a "Dirt Cake" to eat...and learn about soil at the same time!

1. Line an 8-inch clay flower pot with foil.

2. Crush 1 large package of Oreo cookies and set aside.

3. Put aside for later 3/4 lb. package gummy worms, 1 package miniature chocolate chips, and some green-colored coconut.

4. Cream together 4 tbs. butter or margarine, 1 8-oz. package cream cheese, and 1 cup powdered sugar.

5. Mix together 3½ cups milk, 2 3-oz. packages vanilla instant pudding, and 12 oz. whipped topping.

6. Add the creamed mixture and the pudding mixture together. Mix well.

7. Place the whipped topping lid in the bottom of the flower pot.

8. Bottom Layer (Parent Material) - Begin with a layer of crushed cookies. Then mix chocolate chips with half of the creamed pudding mixture and smooth it over the cookies.

9. Second Layer (Subsoil) - Add more crushed cookies, then a creamed pudding layer and the gummy worms. (Save one worm for the top layer!)

10. Top Layer (Topsoil) - Finish with a layer of crushed cookies. Sprinkle with green coconut for "grass" and poke a gummy worm through the top to peek out of your "soil." Refrigerate overnight.

Ag in the Classroom Material Order Form

Food and Fiber for the 21st Century units are available individually or combined in a three-ring binder.

Quantity	Cost
___Food and Fiber for the 21st Century (All lessons in 3-ring binder)	$15.00
___The Importance of Agriculture	$3.00
___The Earth Under Our Feet	$3.00
___Plants We Eat, Wear & Use	$3.00
___Plant Science Activities	$3.00
___Livestock in Our Lives	$3.00
___What the Heck is BioTech?	$3.00
___ "What's To Eat?" video	$4.00
___ "Let's Visit Texas" video	$20.00
___ Lesson Plan Supplement to "Let's Visit Texas" video	$5.00
___ Farm Facts	$1.25
___ Add me to TFB AgNotes e-mail list (Ag in the Classroom Newsletter)	N/C

Total_________

Do not send payment at this time. We will bill you later. Tax and shipping will be added.

Send To:
_____________________________________________

_____________________________________________

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e-mail address: ____________________________________________

Send order form to address below.

Would you like information about putting Ag in the Classroom in your school?
Call your local county Farm Bureau or contact
TFB Research, Education and Policy Development
P.O. Box 2689
Waco, TX 76702-2689
(254) 772-3030 
E-mail: Tad Duncan

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