Elementary school students across the state will soon have access to a fun and informative book about agriculture thanks to sales of the Farming Feeds Alabama vehicle license plate and an Alabama Farmers Federation project that honors state legislators.

In an effort to emphasize the importance of agriculture to Alabama’s school children, the Federation will provide a copy of “Oh Say Can You Seed?— All About Flowering Plants” to more than 900 public elementary school libraries. The books, bought with proceeds from the Farming Feeds Alabama car tag, will include labels that recognize local legislators for their support of farming and education.

“This is a great opportunity to help children increase their knowledge of plants and appreciation for agriculture,” said Federation President Jerry A. Newby. “We want children to understand the importance of agriculture, and hopefully this book will inspire some of these young people to pursue careers in life sciences and other agriculture-related fields.”

The project will give almost 300,000 public school students access to the book, which is part of The Cat in the Hat’s Learning Library. Written by Bonnie Worth and illustrated by Aristides Ruiz, the book explores the parts of plants, seeds and flowers while teaching children about photosynthesis, pollination and seed dispersal.

Using colorful pictures and a catchy rhyme scheme, the book is able to communicate complex scientific ideas in simple, easy-to-read language. This allows students to absorb knowledge about the natural world while having fun. To further enhance the impact of the book, the Federation also will provide each library an activity packet that outlines hands-on activities to help teachers, media specialists and students learn more about agriculture.

Legislators were informed about the project during the Federation’s annual Taste of Alabama Legislative Reception Feb. 11 in Montgomery. The reception gives lawmakers a chance to sample Alabama agricultural products while visiting with farmers from their areas. Following the event, books were distributed to Alabama’s 67 county Farmers Federations, which will deliver them to schools.

Sales of the Farming Feeds Alabama license plate support agricultural education and promotional activities throughout the state. For more information about the tag, visit the Crenshaw County Probate Office or visit www.ador.state.al.us/motorvehicle/specialty.html.

Alabama Farmers Federation, a member of American Farm Bureau Federation, is the state’s largest farm organization with more than 440,000 members. For more information, visit www.AlfaFarmers.org.