Ag Education Camp carries on South Dakota’s #1 industry

HURON, S.D. (Dakota News Now) – A major industry for South Dakota is agriculture. One part of the Farmer’s Union’s mission is to prepare youth to carry on the agricultural heritage of the state.

Early morning is very quiet at the Farmer’s Union Agricultural Industry Camp, but not for long. Nearly 30 children, up to age 12, start their day with a gathering around the flag pole for songs and a flag raising.

Education Specialist Samantha Bowman, who is the lead, shares the mission of this Farmer’s Union-backed camp.

“We’re hoping that it leads them down a path within the agriculture industry especially, but just leadership in general. It’s important for them to realize that even at such a young age that they do have a voice and that their voice has room at the table as we see the generations continue on,” said Bowman.

Much of the time at the camp is spent on education slanted toward the ag industry.

“There’s a lot of education behind what we do, but we try to do it all hands-on. So, kids are learning, but they’re having fun at the same time. So when they go home to tell their parents how much fun they had, they’re really telling their parents everything that they learned,” said Bowman.

Among other things, campers learn about co-ops, retail, handling money and animal science. Cadence Konechna, one of the current counselors, started as a camper herself. We asked what the most rewarding part of her position is.

“Watching kids go from being like, socially, they don’t want to participate in anything, they’re hiding in the corner, to having a large friend group and being in the center of everything and then having a huge smile on their face,” said Konechna.

The program has been going on since the 1930s.

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