Ag Innovators Experience

The 4-H Ag Innovators Experience challenges youth to apply critical thinking and STEM skills to address a real-world agriculture challenge. The program drives youth awareness of, and interest in, agriculture innovation and agriculture careers by tying in relevant concepts like aquaculture and environmental stewardship with a hands-on activity that makes learning fun.

Protect the Plate (2024)

The Protect the Plate Challenge is a part of the 4-H Ag Innovators Experience, an annual program that challenges young people to apply critical thinking and STEM skills to a real-world agriculture challenge. Sponsored by National 4-H Council and Bayer, the Ag Innovators Experience (AIE) helps develop critical workforce skills in young people and show that agriculture can be relevant and fun. This year’s Protect the Plate challenge explores how different technologies have transformed agriculture and how farmers, government, and consumers must continue to innovate, learn, and adopt to grow more food in a sustainable manner while focusing on food safety. The activity dives into the science behind food safety and the role crops play in food safety, especially in the solutions to feed a hungry planet.

In Iowa, the collaborative, hands-on challenge will help youth learn to:

• Learn about the the science behind food safety and the technology that keeps our food safe.
• Discover the role crops play in food safety world food sustainability.
• Explore careers related to solutions to help feed a hungry planet.

We Need Teen Leaders!

Iowa 4-H is looking for teen leaders to bring this program to youth across the state this year. Teen leaders will:

• Enjoy a campus learning experience, great for youth interested in agriculture, conservation, environmental science, or food security.
• Develop leadership skills working with younger youth.
• Collaborate with other teens from around the state.

Youth in grades 9-12 are welcome to apply to be a part of the state team of leaders. Selected leaders will attend a free training at Iowa State University on Feb 17-18. Application closes January 31, 2024.

Apply here!

Native Bee Challenge

The Native Bee Challenge is a part of the 4-H Ag Innovators Experience, an annual program that challenges young people to apply critical thinking and STEM skills to a real-world agriculture challenge. Developed by National 4-H Council and Bayer, the program helps develop critical workforce skills in young people, and demonstrates how agriculture can be fun! This year's activity is the Native Bee Challenge, created by Iowa State University. More than 5,000 youth across five states will be challenged to learn about native bees, pollination, and the need to work together to be good stewards of the land.

In Iowa, the collaborative, hands-on challenge will help youth learn that:

• Native bees are important pollinators. There are many types of native bees with unique life cycles. Native bees impact our food supply and have an economic impact on agriculture.
• Youth will learn about the process of pollination, how native bees are important to pollination of food crops, and how pollinators are economically significant for agriculture.
• Enhancing habitat for native bees benefits pollinators and other organisms, which in turn promotes broader biodiversity. Challenges that impact native bees include habitat loss, disease, climate change, and pesticide exposure. Increasing the bee population helps crops and flowering plants. Increasing habitat (both natural and artificial) helps native bees and many other species.

During the challenge, youth will use modeling to understand how native bees contribute to food production and the important relationship between agricultural lands and native habitat in producing enough food and maintaining biodiversity.

Activities:

• Pollination: Experience life as a bee as you visit flowers to get food for yourself and your young. Learn how pollination happens, how bees are involved, and why we need pollination for crops.
• Habitat: Use a map to look for opportunities to increase habitat while learning about conservation practices in agriculture and in cities.
• Make a bee nest: Get materials to make your own bee nest to take home. Take part in citizen science as you record any nesting bees.

Monarchs on the Move

The Monarchs on the Move Challenge is a part of the 4-H Ag Innovators Experience (4-H AIE), an annual program that challenges young people to apply critical thinking and STEM skills to a real-world agriculture challenge. Developed by National 4-H Council and Monsanto, the program helps develop critical workforce skills in young people, and demonstrates how agriculture can be fun! This year's activity is the Monarchs on the Move Challenge, created by Iowa State University. More than 5,000 youth across five states will be challenged to learn about monarch butterflies, pollination, and the need to work together to be good stewards of the land.

In Iowa, the collaborative, hands-on challenge will help youth:

• Learn about the unique lifecycle of butterflies.
• Learn why the monarch butterfly is a flagship species representing many pollinators that contribute to our food supply and the health of our planet.
• Understand the challenges that impact the monarch butterfly’s declining population including habitat loss, extreme weather, and pest management.
• Explore ways to increase monarch habitat, its importance, and ways that everyone can participate.
• Understand the collaborative effort required to increase monarch populations. Enhancing monarch butterfly reproduction and survival will require a collaborative and coordinated effort from farmers, government, private citizens and businesses.

During the challenge, youth will use modeling to understand the declining population of the monarch butterfly and the important relationship between the agricultural landscape and biodiversity to enhance habitat for a sustainable population.

Activities:

• Monarch butterfly lifecycle: Learn about the biology of the monarch butterfly including its lifecycle and habitat.
• Hungry Caterpillar: Experience life as a monarch caterpillar as you try to get food and avoid predators and other dangers. Collect data like a scientist.
• This Land is Your Land: Use satellite images to look and the landscape and find opportunities for monarch habitat while learning about conservation practices in agriculture and in cities.
• Planting kits: Get materials to plant your own monarch habitat!

Water Connects Us All

The Water Connects US All Challenge is a part of the 4-H Ag Innovators Experience, an annual program that challenges young people to apply critical thinking and STEM skills to a real-world agriculture challenge. In Iowa, the collaborative, hands-on challenge will help youth learn about the importance of ecosystems like wetlands, understand science concepts like water and nitrogen cycles, and explore ways to improve water quality.

The curriculum uses a series of hands-on activities to teach youth about water, watersheds, ecosystem services, the intersection between the nitrogen cycle and crop production, issues with water pollution, and conservation practices to mitigate water pollution.

Activity 1: Background information via discussion and PowerPoint
Activity 2: How wetlands work
Activity 3: Engineered Conservation Practices
Activity 4: Watershed Management Authority: Students negotiate with their team to identify and implement practices to have the greatest impact for the community.

The following materials and resources will be supplied:

• Facilitator Guide with directions for leading the activities
• PowerPoint that provides background information and fosters discussion
• Supplies to conduct the hands-on learning experiences
• Engagement with trained educators who can lead activities via video conference
• An opportunity for educators to participate in virtual professional development