Sponsoring Youth Education for a Strong Agriculture Future

By: Erica Olson

Posted: September 8, 2025

In addition to many customer and producer focused programing, the NDWC provides sponsorship for programs that help educate youth. These programs focus on providing education to farm and non-farm youth and promoting agriculture careers, helping to build and strong future for agriculture.

NCI Ag Academy

The Northern Crops Institute (NCI) hosted its third annual Summer Ag Academy, offering over 40 high school students a hands-on introduction to ag careers. Students explored opportunities in food science, animal science, and international trade. In the food science track, students worked in NCI’s bake lab to test flour types in muffin recipes and later developed and presented original food products. The animal science group toured livestock barns and feed facilities, learning about nutrition and feed technology. The international trade track explored supply chains, trade policy, and marketing. The NDWC views its sponsorship of the Ag Academy as an opportunity to educate students on the career opportunities available in agriculture and encourage the next generation of the agriculture industry.

Ina Gauslow, Colfax, ND, attended the Ag Academy this year and says the experience was well worth her time, “I am from a farming family, but I had no idea of the vast amount of opportunities there are in the agriculture industry. That was one of my main reasons for attending – to learn more.” Gauslow strongly encourages others students to attend if they have the chance, “The instructors were great, we learned so much, and also had a chance to meet so many people. The academy gave a well-rounded introduction to so many different agriculture trades and tracks. My experience was so valuable!”

NDSU Farm Safety Camps

The NDWC has provided sponsorship to NDSU Extension’s Farm Safety camps for the past couple of years. The camps were born out of the need to provide tractor and machinery safety training opportunities for youth ages 13-16. This type of training used to be offered at the county level, but it became tough to justify a county level program with attendance numbers. The Farm Safety Camps offer the opportunity to offer the training in a camp format, which promotes socialization and friendships. In 2025 camps were held in West Fargo, Williston and Bismarck.

The three day format allows instructors to expand training and education beyond just tractor safety training. Participants learn about first aid topics and navigating emergencies, PTO safety, tractor driving skills, skid steer operations, farm stress, ATV certification and roadway safety, to name a few. The camps are 100% hands on. The program relies heavily on support from local partners, such as fire departments, hospitals, and many equipment dealers who provide their tractors and equipment for training. Sponsorships from the NDWC and other groups help to provide participants with personal equipment and tools they can use at camp and back on the farm. Angie Johnson, NDSU Extension farm and ranch safety coordinator, says the camps have been extremely successful and aren’t geared just towards farm kids, “at the end of the day, farm safety camp is really a workforce readiness program. No matter what career path a young person embarks on, the skills taught at farm safety camp are transferable to any career.”

NCI Ag Academy participants pose for a photo before a tour.