Introduction

    Agriculture is America's largest and most basic industry.  Of the more
than 100 million people in the U.S. labor force, about 22 million are employed
in more than 200 agriculture-related occupations.  Of those 22 million, less
than 2 percent are engaged directly in production agriculture.

    In the Midwest, an even greater share of the work force, 34 percent,
is employed in agriculture.  Therefore, agriculture education is justifiably
a part of Wisconsin's educational efforts at all levels, from kindergarten
through postsecondary education.  The Wisconsin Department of Public
Instruction demonstrates its support for a comprehensive K-12 initiative
in its publication, "A Guide to Curriculum Planning in Agriculture Education".


    "Instruction for Food and Fiber and Natural Resources" fine tunes this
initiative even further by focus ing on curriculum development in agriculture
education programs for middle/junior high and high schools.

    This publication provides more than 80 instructional units for agriculture
education based on the following seven employment clusters, which are
described in the DPI's curriculum guide:

    - Agriculture Science/Production Management
    - Agriculture Processing/Food and Fiber
    - Agriculture Marketing/Distribution and Retailing Services
    - Agriculture Supplies and Services
    - Agriculture Mechanization/Engineering and Technical Support Services
    - Agriculture Resources Management
    - Professional Employment in Agriculture

    In addition, "Instruction for Food and Fiber and Natural Resources" offers
several instructional units under a "Cross-Cluster" category; these units are
applicable to two or more of the employment clusters.