Attitudes of public school students in southeastern Oklahoma toward agriculture and horticulture

Authors: Russo, Vincent; Collins, Julie

Submitted to: Proceedings of Horticultural Industry Show
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: 1/10/2005
Publication Date: 4/1/2005
Citation: Russo, V.M., Collins, J.K. 2005. Attitudes of public school students in southeastern Oklahoma toward agriculture and horticulture. Proceedings of the 24th Annual Horticulture Industries Show. p. 185-187.

Interpretive Summary: There is concern that children and grandchildren of current producers of agricultural products may not be considering agriculture as a career. A survey of students in the eighth through twelfth grades from rural communities in southeastern Oklahoma was conducted at the USDA, ARS, South Central Agricultural Research Laboratory, and the Wes Watkins Agricultural Research and Extension Center, at Lane, Okla., on 1 May 2001 to determine their plans for college and a career. In addition they were asked if they had an interest in horticulture since that is the principal mission of the laboratory. Almost 90% of students planned to go to college and half planned to have a major, and a career, in agriculture. About half of their schools offered horticulture classes. About a third of the students families grew horticultural crops. Twenty-two percent were interested in horticultural or agronomic crops, and about a third were interested in doing a project in horticulture with a member of the staff at the laboratory. Although this was a relatively small sample the results suggest that it may be worthwhile for college departments to support programs between secondary education students and faculty, either on campus or at field stations, to increase the interest of students in careers in agriculture, to include horticulture.

Technical Abstract: It is not well known if children in rural areas would be willing to consider careers in agriculture in general, and horticulture, specifically. Students from grades eight to twelve (n = 64) responded to a questionnaire distributed at a workshop/field day at the USDA, ARS, South Central Agricultural Research Laboratory, and the Wes Watkins Agricultural Research and Extension Center, at Lane, Okla., on 1 May 2001. Information was requested concerning their plans for the future, and if they had considered agriculture as a career. They were also asked if their families were involved in agriculture, and about topics concerning horticulture since that is the principal mission of the laboratory. About half of their schools offered horticulture classes. About a third of the students families grew horticultural crops. Twenty-two percent were interested in horticultural or agronomic crops, and about a third were interested in doing a project in horticulture with a member of the laboratory staff. Almost 90% of students planned to go to college and about half planned to have a major, and a career, in agriculture. Although relatively small, the sample results suggest that it may be worthwhile for college departments to support programs between secondary education students and faculty, either on campus or at field stations, to increase the interest of students in careers in agriculture, to include horticulture.