Courtesy photo.
VENTURA COUNTY — Students for Eco-Education and Agriculture (SEEAG) provided free agricultural education to nearly 26,000 students and community members in Southern California in 2024.
The nonprofit organization delivered hands-on agricultural education to 9,796 students from 87 schools across 26 school districts stretching from Los Angeles to Santa Barbara counties. Third-grade students participated in free field trips to SEEAG’s Farm Labs at working farms in Ventura and Santa Barbara counties. They learned about nutrition, wellness and healthy eating during in-classroom instruction. Older students received STEM education and explored agricultural career opportunities.
The organization’s Farm Day events in Santa Barbara and Ventura counties drew more than 16,000 visitors. Thirty-two agricultural operations participated, offering behind-the-scenes tours showing how food is grown, harvested and transported to market.
“SEEAG’s school and community programs are designed to foster curiosity and a connection to our local farms in all age groups,” said Caitlin Palus Case, SEEAG’s executive director. “Students learn about the science of growing our food, its nutritional value and its impact on our bodies. Farm Day visitors come away with an appreciation of the hard work and dedication that goes into growing the food we eat.”
Looking ahead to 2025, the organization plans to expand its student programs and add more free community events, Case said.
For a report on SEEAG’s 2024 activities, go to https://www.seeag.org/impact. To learn more about SEEAG or to make a donation, go to https://www.seeag.org
About SEEAG
Founded in 2008, Students for Eco-Education and Agriculture (SEEAG) is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization that aims to help young students understand the origins of their food by bridging
the gap between agriculture and consumption through its agricultural education programming. SEEAG’s “The Farm Lab” program teaches schoolchildren about the origins of their food and
the importance of local farmland by providing schools with classroom agricultural education and free field trips to farms. Through this and other SEEAG programs, over 100,000 elementary school students in Central and Southern California have increased their understanding of the food journey. Each year, it hosts Santa Barbara Farm Day and Ventura County Farm Day where the public can visit local farms and other agriculture-related entities. For more information, visit www.seeag.org or email Caitlin Paulus Case, caitlin@seeag.org