From the Farm to the Classroom: How Agriculture Powers the School Day

As students across Arizona head back to school, the connection between agriculture and education extends far beyond the cafeteria. From the clothes they wear and the supplies they carry to the lunches that fuel learning, farmers and ranchers help make every school day possible.

Written by Holly Anderson, Agricultural Communications Intern

As another school year begins, families across Arizona are shopping for school supplies, packing backpacks, and preparing lunches as students eagerly head back to the classroom. While notebooks, pencils, backpacks, and cafeteria meals may seem far removed from farms and ranches, agriculture plays an important role in nearly every part of a student's day.

Long before the first school bell rings, farmers, ranchers, foresters, and agricultural producers have already contributed to many of the products students rely on every day. From the cotton in their clothes to the milk on their lunch tray, agriculture provides the food, fiber, and renewable resources that support learning both inside and outside the classroom. Back to school season offers the perfect opportunity to recognize just how connected agriculture is to education.

Starting the Day with Agriculture

Before students ever step into the classroom, agriculture is already part of their morning routine.

Many of the clothes students wear to school begin with natural fibers grown by farmers. Cotton, one of Arizona's historic agricultural commodities, is woven into T-shirts, jeans, hoodies, socks, and many backpacks. For generations, Arizona cotton growers have produced the fiber that becomes everyday clothing and countless products used by families across the country.

Even the supplies packed into a backpack have strong agricultural connections. The paper in notebooks begins with trees grown in managed forests, while wooden pencils are made from sustainably harvested timber. Many crayons are produced with soy-based wax, and textbooks are often printed using soy-based inks. Natural rubber harvested from rubber trees is commonly used in erasers, and some adhesives still utilize collagen derived from cattle byproducts. These everyday materials demonstrate that agriculture extends well beyond the food we eat.

Fueling Learning One Lunch at a Time

For many students, one of the most visible connections to agriculture comes during lunchtime. A typical school lunch tells the story of countless agricultural producers working together to nourish students. A cheeseburger begins with ranchers raising cattle for beef, dairy farmers producing the milk that becomes cheese, wheat growers supplying grain for the bun, and vegetable farmers growing fresh lettuce, tomatoes, onions, and pickles. A carton of milk reflects the dedication of dairy farm families, while fresh fruit and vegetables showcase the work of growers committed to producing nutritious food year-round.

Arizona agriculture plays an important role in helping feed both local communities and consumers across the nation. The state is home to more than 800,000 head of cattle and a thriving dairy industry, while producers grow leafy greens, vegetables, hay, cotton, and many other commodities that contribute to America's food supply. Although not every item served in a school cafeteria is grown in Arizona, the state's farmers and ranchers continue to make significant contributions to feeding families across the country.

Connecting Students to Agriculture

School meals not only provide nourishment, but they also create opportunities for students to better understand where their food comes from.

The Arizona Department of Education's “Try It Local!” initiative encourages schools to incorporate locally and regionally produced foods into their meal programs whenever possible. By supporting local agriculture, schools strengthen relationships with producers, provide students with fresh food, and help connect classroom learning with the farms and ranches that nourish their communities.

The connection extends even further through the USDA Foods Program, which supplies schools participating in federal child nutrition programs with a variety of American-grown and produced foods. By purchasing products from U.S. farmers and ranchers, the program helps schools serve nutritious meals while supporting agricultural producers and strengthening the nation's food system. Together, these programs remind students that agriculture is more than something they learn about but is also something that is utilized in their everyday life. 

Agriculture Is Everywhere

The connection between agriculture and education doesn't end when lunch is over.

While students spend the afternoon learning, an entire network of agricultural professionals continues working behind the scenes to support classrooms across the country. Farmers and ranchers produce the raw materials, foresters sustainably manage renewable resources, truck drivers transport products, manufacturers transform agricultural commodities into everyday goods, and countless others help ensure classrooms are equipped with the supplies students depend on.

Agriculture also reaches far beyond food production. Many products used in schools begin with agricultural commodities or natural resources, often in ways that go unnoticed. Some adhesives are made using collagen derived from cattle byproducts, while soybeans contribute to products such as crayons, inks, and other classroom materials. In fact, approximately 99% of a steer is utilized, providing not only beef but also materials used in products ranging from medical supplies and cosmetics to certain adhesives and other everyday household goods. This efficient use of resources reflects agriculture's ongoing commitment to sustainability and reducing waste.

From the classroom to the art room, library, and gymnasium, agriculture quietly supports learning every day. While students may not always recognize those connections, the products they use and the spaces where they learn are made possible through the work of people across the agricultural industry.

A Lesson That Lasts Beyond the Classroom

Back-to-school season is about more than new classrooms, fresh notebooks, and the excitement of a new year. It's also an opportunity to recognize the people whose work helps make education possible.

Before the first bell rings, agriculture has already helped prepare students for the day. It provides the cotton in their clothes, the paper in their notebooks, the pencils in their backpacks, and the nutritious meals waiting in the cafeteria.

Every backpack tells a story.

Every lunch tray reflects the dedication of farmers and ranchers. Every notebook, carton of milk, cotton T-shirt, and wooden pencil represents the journey of an agricultural product before it reaches a student's hands.

As students head back to school, agriculture continues to provide far more than crops and livestock. It nourishes minds, supports learning, and helps cultivate the next generation. From the farm to the classroom, agriculture remains an essential part of every school day.

References:

American Farm Bureau Foundation for Agriculture. (2024). Where Do Your Back-to-School Supplies Come From? https://www.agfoundation.org/news/where-do-your-back-to-school-supplies-come-from

Arizona Department of Education. (2025). Try It Local! https://www.azed.gov/hns/try-it-local

Arizona Department of Education. (2025). USDA Foods Program for Schools. https://www.azed.gov/hns/usda-foods-schools-program

Delaware Farm Bureau Foundation. (2023). Many School Supplies Derive from Agriculture. https://defb.org/many-school-supplies-derive-from-agriculture/