With an aging farm population in Butler County, we need young people to become more involved in preserving rural life and the health and vitality of agriculture.

Agriculture is big business in the state, according to the National Agricultural Statistics Service, with value of products, in the 2017 Census, at $7.75 billion.

According to the 2017 Census of Agriculture, farm owners and operators are getting older. Of the 955 farms on 133,954 acres in Butler County, there are 1,694 farmers, and 597 of them are older than 65.

Are schools doing an adequate job of preparing a farming workforce?

These days, county farmers should be able to sow some good news coming via the schools.

Recently, two school districts — Summit Elementary School in Summit Township in the Butler Area School District, and Moniteau High School in the Moniteau School District in Cherry Township — have received grants for agriculture education projects through funding from the Pennsylvania Farm Bill.

An outdoor classroom will be built on the 17-acre campus at Summit Elementary School, and a greenhouse will be built at Moniteau High.

Construction of both projects is expected to begin soon, so they can be used when the 2021-22 school year begins in the fall, and they require matching funds from the districts.

Butler Area received a $25,000 grant to build the 2,000-square-foot outdoor classroom, which will resemble a pavilion, said Brian Slamecka, assistant superintendent. It can be used for a variety of hands-on instruction.

At Moniteau High School, a 40-by-50-foot greenhouse will support the vocational agriculture program, said Superintendent Thomas Samosky. The district received a $12,276 grant toward the greenhouse project, which was developed in cooperation with the Concord Food Pantry at Concord Presbyterian Church in West Sunbury. The pantry supports district families.

“Our goal is to grow fresh produce for that population,” Samosky said. “We’re really excited. We can get the kids back into the community and help residents.”

Agriculture production is significant. In the county, according to the Census, the market value of products sold tops $49 million with a net cash farm income of more than $12 million. While cattle and calves are the big income generators at more than $17 million annually, it’s nursery, greenhouse, floriculture and sod production that tops $4.8 million in the county. So schools, with these new facilities, can help generate and guide a much-needed workforce.

Looking at the numbers, livestock, poultry, and other products total $17.4 million sales. General crops top $32 million, including grains, beans, fruit and other vegetables.

The need to train an agricultural workforce is also evident in the eyes of legislators.

Several Butler County lawmakers attended the annual Legislative Breakfast on Friday at the Butler Country Club. One of them was state Rep. Marci Mustello, R-11th, who serves parts of Butler County.

As a member of the House Agricultural and Rural Affairs Committee, Mustello said she wants to bring the FFA, formerly known as the Future Farmers of America, back to the Butler County Area Vocational-Technical School.

“We need to keep young people engaged in agriculture,” Mustello said.

One way is to bolster students’ involvement in horticulture programs in the schools.

It looks like the grants for the agricultural programs at the schools is a fine way to start.

— AA