GrowNextGen partnered with Sunrise Cooperative for a virtual field trip designed to connect classroom science with what’s happening in Ohio fields. Supported by the Ohio Soybean Council (OSC), the event demonstrated how strategic partnerships between industry and education help share the science of soybeans while inspiring students to explore agricultural career paths.

Sunrise Cooperative, a farmer-owned business, welcomed teachers and students into their operations. Agronomy experts Jonah Johnson and Brian Braumiller explained how soybeans grow, highlighting details such as root nodules that fix nitrogen and seed treatments that protect young plants.

GrowNextGen educator Jeff Jostpille worked alongside them to show how these concepts connect directly to biology and environmental science lessons.

Each partner played a key role:

• Sunrise Cooperative shared real-world science, demonstrations, and career experiences.

• GrowNextGen, a program of the Ohio Soybean Council, provided an education platform that reaches thousands of classrooms and translated that expertise into classroom-ready content tied to learning standards.

• The Ohio Soybean Council provided leadership and funding to support their mission of helping farmers advocate for agriculture through science education.

The collaboration delivered value on both sides:

• For classrooms and teachers: Students saw science in action and explored career possibilities. Teachers gained accurate, Ohio-specific examples to enrich life science instruction.

• For Sunrise Cooperative and the Ohio Soybean Council: The partnership highlighted expertise in science-based farming and built awareness of career opportunities in agronomy, sales, and agricultural research. It showed how Ohio’s soybean checkoff investments extend beyond the field, building awareness of the science and technology behind modern farming.

Collaborations like this demonstrate the agriculture industry’s commitment to sustainability, innovation, and community engagement.

Since 2024, 2,281 classrooms have participated in GrowNextGen virtual field trips, reaching more than 46,000 students across Ohio and beyond.

By working together, educators and industry partners help students see how science and technology drive modern farming—and how their own futures might fit into that picture.

Teachers: watch the 45-minute virtual field trip: Science Saves the Harvest.
Agriculture professionals: send an email to explore opportunities for future collaboration with GrowNextGen.