Virtual Field Trip: Science of Aquaculture at Freshwater Farms
April 17, 2024
Not all fish are caught from ponds, rivers, and lakes. Middle school science and environmental, biology, animal science, agribusiness, and business teachers: virtually visit Freshwater Farms with your students for an insider look at the science of aquaculture.
Dr. David Smith, marine biologist and Ohio entrepreneur, will take your class behind the scenes to see:
• management of controlled ecosystems
• how sustainable feed impacts energy cycles
• advantages (and disadvantages) of farm-raised fish
Show your students the business side of maintaining a fish farm, including: sources of animal feed; global aquaculture; ecosystem dynamics; how to make a small business profitable and successful.
Students will:
• Know…the importance to soybeans as a feed source for fish
• Understand…life cycles of fish and feeding behavior of fish
• Be able to…talk knowledgeably about the advantages and disadvantages of aquaculture and the importance of farm-raised fish to Ohio
• Submit questions for Dr. Dave to address
GrowNextGen
Backed by funding from Ohio soybean farmers and their checkoff program, GrowNextGen brings agriculture science to the classroom by providing real-world educational tools to engage the next generation workforce.
Ohio Soybean Council
The Ohio Soybean Council (OSC) was founded in 1991 to manage the Soybean Promotion and Research Program – more commonly known as the soybean checkoff. Ohio soybean farmers pay one half of one percent of the bushel price to the soybean checkoff when they sell soybeans. OSC collects those funds and sends half to its national affiliate, the United Soybean Board. The other half remains in Ohio and is invested under the direction of a board of soybean farmers from around the state who are elected by their peers. The program’s primary goal is to improve soybean profitability by targeting research and development, education and promotion projects through the investment of farmer-contributed funds OSC farmer leaders review and, as necessary, revise the organizational strategic plan. This process helps OSC stay ahead of market trends in order to make the best short and long-term investment decisions on behalf of Ohio soybean farmers.
