The U.S. Farmers and Ranchers Alliance® (USFRA) announced today the launch of an all-new educational initiative designed to provide high school students a first-hand glimpse into modern agriculture. Created in conjunction with Discovery Education, the leading provider of digital content and professional development for K-12 classrooms, Discovering FARMLAND offers interactive resources that allow teachers and students to experience the industry through the eyes of six young farmers and ranchers, all while learning about food production's connection to science, economics, technology and sustainability.

Discovering FARMLAND provides high school students, educators and parents with standards-aligned lesson plans and interactive activities that explore concepts critical to modern agriculture, such as sustainability, technology, and science. Designed by Discovery Education's curriculum experts, these resources aim to stimulate thoughtful conversations between educators and students about key issues including: innovative use of technology on farms and how it has transformed the industry, challenges farmers face such as weather and growing conditions, common stereotypes around farmers and ranchers, and market supply and demand. Additionally, FARMLAND will be integrated into Discovery Education Streaming Plus™ a comprehensive digital library containing more than 200,000 learning assets aligned to state and national curriculum standards.

"I'm excited to show my students the connections between chemistry and agriculture through real-world examples showcased in Discovering FARMLAND ," said Rob Lamb, Chemistry Teacher, Pattonville School District, Missouri. "This program will introduce different career paths available in today's rapidly evolving agriculture industry while also helping to build students' critical-thinking skills."

FARMLAND was created by Academy Award®-winning director James Moll to connect viewers with people who grow and raise our food. Many people have never visited a farm and do not know that 95 percent of the farms in the U.S. are family-owned. With the use of this film and accompanying resources, teachers and students will have a better understanding of where their food comes from, as well as the various career paths available in this essential industry.

Director James Moll said, "Before making this film I had never even stepped foot on a farm, and that seems to be the case for more and more Americans. So I'm thrilled that Farmland is reaching a whole new level together with Discovery Education."

"Since the theatrical release of FARMLAND, we have held hundreds of screenings of the film and have often been asked by teachers for content they can share in their classrooms," said USFRA Chairwoman, Nancy Kavazanjian. "The expansion of the film's distribution to high school teachers and students across the country will continue to give more people the opportunity to better connect with their food and farmers and ranchers. Through this film and interactive lesson plans, students will be able to learn about the science, technology and focus on sustainability that goes into today's farming and ranching practices."

"Discovery Education is proud to partner with the U.S. Farmers & Ranchers Alliance to provide students across the country, especially urban youth, this unique learning opportunity," said Lori McFarling, Senior Vice President of Discovery Education. "The engaging resources available in Discovering FARMLAND will transport students to farms across America, and connect science, technology and entrepreneurship skills to real-world careers and practices in today's modern agriculture industry."

The Discovering FARMLAND materials are available for viewing and download at www.DiscoveringFarmland.com. The film is also available on various platforms including Netflix, Walmart.com (as well as select retail outlets) and additional video-on-demand and digital download platforms. Please visit www.FarmlandFilm.com for additional information.

Produced by Moll's Allentown Productions, FARMLAND was made with the generous support of the U.S. Farmers & Ranchers Alliance.

About U.S. Farmers & Ranchers Alliance (USFRA)
U.S. Farmers & Ranchers Alliance (USFRA) consists of nearly 90 farmer- and rancher-led organizations and agricultural partners representing virtually all aspects of agriculture working to engage in dialogues with consumers who have questions about how today's food is grown and raised. USFRA is committed to continuous improvement and supporting U.S. farmers' and ranchers' efforts to increase confidence and trust in today's agriculture.

About Discovery Education
Discovery Education is the global leader in standards-based digital content for K-12, transforming teaching and learning with award-winning digital textbooks, multimedia content, professional development, and the largest professional learning community of its kind. Serving 3 million educators and over 30 million students, Discovery Education's services are in half of U.S. classrooms, over 40 percent of all primary schools the UK, and more than 50 countries. Discovery Education partners with districts, states and like-minded organizations to captivate students, empower teachers, and transform classrooms with customized solutions that increase academic achievement. Discovery Education is powered by Discovery Communications (NASDAQ: DISCA, DISCB, DISCK), the number one nonfiction media company in the world. Explore the future of education at www.discoveryeducation.com.
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11.12.2015