By Blake Jackson
More than 1,300 elementary and middle school students from across southcentral Pennsylvania participated in Farm City Day 2025 at the Pennsylvania Farm Show Complex. This event offered a hands-on introduction to the wide range of careers in agriculture. Students explored jobs related to dairy farming, beekeeping, sustainable forestry, and modern agricultural technologies.
Pennsylvania Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding and Acting Education Secretary Dr. Carrie Rowe joined students on a tour of career exhibits. They emphasized the importance of adapting to an evolving agriculture industry and preparing for jobs that may not yet exist.
“Agriculture today is not what it was at the beginning of this century, or even this decade,” said Secretary Redding. “We haven’t even dreamed up the technology that will be shaping agriculture when they get out of school, and we will need workers who can change along with the field — flexible problem-solvers who can imagine how new technology can make agriculture better and more efficient, food safer, and our planet healthier. Farm City Day is about sparking student imaginations and broadening their minds to aspects of agriculture they may have never thought of — how plants, and trees, can end up as fabric, plastics, and building materials, and how food waste can become fuel and electricity.”
“PDE is proud to support learners exploring interests and careers in agriculture,” said Acting Secretary Rowe. “Giving students the opportunity to explore all the facets of agriculture while learning about how and where different products and materials can be used is a great way to expose students to new ideas and careers they may not have otherwise considered. Events like Farm City Day help to inspire students to pursue jobs in agriculture, ensuring we have a skilled workforce to grow, feed, and nourish Pennsylvania for generations to come.”
During the event, students interacted with horses, rabbits, goats, lambs, and pigs. They also learned about how plants and trees can be used to create fabrics, plastics, and even building materials. Demonstrations also showcased how food waste can be converted into fuel and electricity.
Farm City Day served as an educational and inspirational experience, broadening young learners’ understanding of agriculture beyond the traditional farm setting. It helped show students how agriculture connects to science, sustainability, innovation, and their daily lives.
This initiative supports Pennsylvania’s goal of building a strong, future-ready agricultural workforce by introducing students early to the industry’s many possibilities.
Photo Credit: shutterstock-alex-brylov
Categories: Pennsylvania, Education