Ask yourself, will agriculture be less important in 2025 than today? How will 21st century agriculture function to meet human and environmental needs? Today's urban society, people who are several generations removed from their roots in agriculture, has little knowledge or experience by which to base their opinions as they influence public policy decisions about agriculture in our future. Our Mission ...to recruit and train urban and suburban volunteers to provide agricultural, natural resources, biotechnology, food and environmental education for adult and youth consumers to ensure wise decisions are made regarding America's food, fiber and forestry system.
Our Vision The many citizens within urban America who possess pride, intrinsic values and a deep appreciation for the land, become an effective vehicle for urban education, enthusiastically building upon the positive image and integrity of America's food, fiber and forestry systems. Who We Are Texas AgriFood Masters (TAM) are a unique volunteer Extension Service organization of the Texas A&M University System - Agriculture Program. TAM grew out of a concern that few urban adults and even fewer teachers have experienced or received education about agriculture. Terry (1990) found that public school teachers did not teach or incorporate agriculture in their curriculum because they were unfamiliar with the subject.
	The "cow milk'n grip" gets school children involved in learning about another important agricultural commodity and the cheese, butter and dairy food products we enjoy.
As a grassroots response, TAM was created in 1992 to provide an urban educational vehicle to reach adult and youth audiences. TAM volunteers, 80% whom have no direct ties to production agriculture today, lend a great deal of credibility to agricultural education because they are the peers of the target audience. What We Do Following 32 hours of intensive education about contemporary agriculture and natural resources provided by university scientists, specialists and industry professionals, TAM volunteers commit to participate in one dozen projects (approx. 50 hours) within the first twelve months. TAM volunteers touch the lives of their fellow Texans by participating in four major programming areas: Youth Outreach, Public Speaking, Industry Relations and Media Relations. How We Work Once volunteers complete their first twelve projects they are recognized by the Texas Agricultural Extension Service as Certified Texas AgriFood Masters whereby they are asked to give leadership to or participate in three projects and one continued education activity annually.
Through media and direct contact, TAM volunteers reached more than two million consumers in 1996 to supplement the educational needs of their respective communities. Volunteers receive a list of volunteer opportunities and enlist in the projects of their interest and availability. They help identify and create new projects and play a central role in TAM's organizational direction through their own officers, committees and project teams. Where We Are The Texas A&M University System Agriculture Program challenges itself to develop the private partnerships (finances) to establish Texas AgriFood Master programs in twenty of Texas' most populous metropolitan areas by the year 2000. Current metro area locations include: Dallas, Amarillo/Canyon (Panhandle), San Antonio, Austin, Longview, Fort Worth, Abilene, San Angelo (Concho Valley), Lubbock and Bryan/College Station.
	The wholesomeness of U.S. food is communicated by TAM Volunteer Vincent Caldarola, M.D. during a San Antonio news conference.
TAM's Local Leadership Seasoned TAM programs have developed AgriFood Education Council's at the local level to enhance the visibility, credibility financial support of educational programs. The Board Chairmen for established AgriFood Education Councils in Texas are: Gov. Dolph Briscoe - San Antonio Area Paul Engler - Panhandle Area Mervin Peters - Brazos Valley Jerry Owens - Dallas Area Roddy Peeples - Concho Valley Paul Burrough - Tarrant County Support To find out more about AgriFood Masters and how to support them, please contact Dr. J. Warren Evans or Henry Nemcik, Room 309 Administration Building, The Agriculture Program, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas 77845-2142, 409-847-9314 or fax 409-862-4705. TAM Projects Youth Outreach Ag Fairs Career Days Teacher In-Service Curriculum Distribution Tours Industry Relations Impact of Agribusiness Report Public Ag Tours Agribusiness Luncheons Booth-Conventions Public Speaking Biotechnology Food Safety Natural Resource Conservation Agricultural Technologies Environmental Protection Range/Wildlife Management News & Media Relations Food Biotechnology Newsletters TV & Radio Interviews Press Conferences Editorials Magazine Interviews Photography News & Media Relations AgriFood Education Councils Texas AgriFood Master (TAM) Volunteers