Field Trips

Field trips introduce students to farms and ranches and give a firsthand look at what farm life is really like. They allow students to see, smell, hear, touch, and taste the agriculture, food, and natural resources that allow for our survival.

Why Visit?

The hands-on experiential learning environment farms and ranches provide are invaluable to a child’s educational growth. Students gain a tangible education that is multifaceted. The lessons can share about farm practices, chores, animal life cycles, the environment, products, economics, math, and health – topics that are relevant to classroom curriculum.

Field Trip Grants

The Nebraska Farm Bureau Foundation supports Field Trip Grants for transportation costs to working farms and ranches for students in grades Kindergarten – Eighth Grade. Grants are available for schools to apply for in January and August.

Through this grant, classrooms receive funding for entry fees and/or transportation fees to travel to a working farm or ranch to view modern-day agriculture. The application will remain open until all funding is awarded.

Guidelines

  • Field trips are required to depict modern agriculture. Grant funds cannot be used to visit educational farms or historical farms.
  • Field trips must be approved by Nebraska Farm Bureau Foundation.
  • Field trips are limited to one day.
  • Field trips must be completed between October 1, 2021 and June 1, 2022.
  • Classrooms are allowed a maximum of $700, and only the cost of transportation and entry fees will be covered.
  • Because funds are limited, we request you apply for a specific amount as close to the actual cost of the field trip as you can estimate. This helps us to award as many field trips as possible. Thank you in advance for researching the cost of your trip before you apply.

Approved Field Trip Funds will be provided on a cost reimbursement basis in a single distribution payable to the school. To receive payment, submit all relevant receipts to the Nebraska Farm Bureau Foundation by June 15, 2022 at 5:00 p.m.

Click To Apply

Preparing for a Farm or Ranch Field Trip

Before the Trip

  • Communicate with the Farm/Ranch host:
    • Is there anything you want students to see?
    • Will you take a snack or lunch? Will the farmer provide a snack?
    • Offer a few days for the farmer to choose from to host your classroom.
    • Inform the farmer of any special needs your students may have such as allergies or physical challenges.
  • Send out permission slips, ask for chaperones, and schedule transportation.

Day of the Trip

  • Make name tags for everyone so the farmer can address the students.
  • What to Bring and Wear
    • Sunscreen
    • Close toed shoes that can get dirty
    • Water bottle
    • Layers of clothing for changing weather
  • Divide students into groups of 5-6 with chaperones.
  • Go over rules and expectations of students. General farm/ranch rules are:
    • Watch your feet!
    • Pay Attention
    • No running
    • No yelling or loud noises
  • Remember, it is not the role of the farmer to keep track of students and to manage their behavior. Please help to keep students together and to behave in a respectful manner.

After the trip

  • Consider writing a thank you letter to the farm as a group or individuals.
  • Use a post-trip activity to highlight a lesson you wanted the students to learn.
  • Take a few moments to fill out our post-trip survey so that we can help continue to provide meaningful experiences for students.
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