MacDon Industries in Winnipeg was the host site for Agriculture in the Classroom Manitoba's (AITC-MB) Annual General Meeting held this past Thursday in Winnipeg.

Attendees had a chance to tour the facility before the meeting.

AITC-MB Executive Director Sue Clayton looked back on some of the highlights from the past year.

"Definitely Canadian Agriculture Literacy Month and the huge spike that we see in the student numbers for that program," she said. "Having the one-time program of Seed Survivor, having the Agrium vehicle pull right up to the school and then the classes would come out and learn about how seeds and plants grow...that was a really great program."

Clayton notes they have a waiting list for most of the programs that they offer.

AITC-MB reached about 30,000 students in 200 schools in 2017. The Made In Manitoba Breakfast visited 10 schools and helped feed over 5,000 students.

Clayton says the work they do wouldn't be possible without the 862 volunteers that helped out last year.

"Volunteers are definitely the heartbeat of our organization," she commented. "One example is the Amazing Agriculture Adventure in September, which runs just south of Winnipeg. That takes 200 volunteers over a 3-day period to offer that program to 1,000 Grade 4 and 5 students. Without the volunteers dedicating [time]...we would not exist."

Agriculture in the Classroom Manitoba will be hosting its provincial counterparts during a conference later this summer.

Grade 10 Elm Creek Student Taylor Carlson, along with her mom and teacher Lisa, made a presentation about their trip to the 2017 Global Youth Institute held in Des Moines, Iowa

Retiring Board Member Curtis McRae was honoured at the event. Past President Brian Kenyon was also recognized.