STUDENTS’ KNOWLEDGE OF AND EXPECTED IMPACT FROM SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE

Abstract

Economically sound environmentally protective, and socially acceptable are the three widely advocated components of sustainable agriculture. The public expects farming to be socially and environmentally responsible, and farmers desire to farm within more responsible boundaries. Research is being conducted to identify agricultural practices that address all three components of sustainable agriculture and educational programs are being developed to disseminate the new knowledge. The purpose of this study was to determine high school agricultural education students' self-assessed knowledge of and expected impact from sustainable agriculture. The respondents were 386 agricultural education students from 31Iowa high schools. Likert-type scales were used to measure knowledge and impact. Students rated themselves as having limited knowledge of sustainable agriculture practices, but the expected impact was high, especially for environmental and social aspects. Students’ positive belief regarding the expected impact from sustainable agriculture provides a base upon which a curriculum can be developed to help students gain the knowledge needed to realize the potential they see in sustainable agriculture.