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Summer Agriculture Institute

Experience Agriculture

A project of the Oregon Agricultural Education Foundation, Summer Agriculture Institute (SAI) is a three-credit, week-long, graduate-level class through Oregon State University that educates K-12 teachers with little or no background in agriculture. Teachers earn three graduate credits and the enrollment cost is a mere $600.

West Session, Corvallis: June 19-24, 2022

East Session, Union/La Grande: July  18-23, 2021

Frequently Asked Questions

  • Summer Agriculture Institute (SAI) is a three-credit, week-long, graduate level class for K-12 educators with little or no background in agriculture offered through Oregon State University.
  • The goal of SAI is to help educators use agriculture as a context for teaching academic standards.
  • Current, factual, science-based information about agriculture is presented. Participants are provided with educational materials to incorporate agriculture into their curriculum.
  • SAI provides the first-hand opportunity for participants to learn how farmers and ranchers care for the land and water they use.
  • Teachers learn the procedures for ensuring consumers a safe food source.
  • They are exposed to the complexities of agricultural marketing and economics, both of which play an important role in agriculture today.
  • The participants gain first-hand experience with agriculture through tours of processing plants, farms, nurseries and businesses
  • K-12th grade teachers in Oregon who have little or no background in agriculture

West Session, Corvallis: June 19-24, 2022

East Session, Union/La Grande: July  18-23, 2021

  • To increase your knowledge and understanding of agricultural issues and applications.
  • To gain information with the goal of helping people make well-informed decisions about agriculture.
  • Receive fun, engaging curriculum to utilize with students. 90% of the participants were using SAI materials five years after attending SAI.
  • Teachers indicated a very high rating for usability of materials received at SAI.
  • Each participant is responsible for a $600.00 registration fee submitted with the SAI application. In exchange, Summer Agriculture Institute participants receive tuition for (3) graduate level credits, lodging, meals, transportation, classroom-ready curriculum and resources.