Social Impact & Volunteering

Toyota Celebrates National Ag Day by Awarding Twelve Toyota Tundra Trucks to Agricultural Educators

Mar 25, 2014 5:20 PM ET
Campaign: Toyota on Education

Torrance, CA, March 25, 2014 /3BL Media/ - Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc. has awarded twelve one-year leases on a 2014 Toyota Tundra to teachers and postsecondary education programs throughout the U.S. as a sponsor of the 2013 Outstanding Postsecondary/Adult Agricultural Education Program and 2013 Outstanding Teacher awards presented by the National Association of Agricultural Educators (NAAE).

Toyota Motor Sales' sponsorship of the awards, in partnership with the National FFA Foundation, aligns with its commitment to support and enrich educational programs. National Agriculture Day on March 25, 2014 is a day designated each year to celebrating and recognizing agriculture's vital role in American society.

"Here at Toyota Motor Sales, we are proud to support agricultural education as a key element of our country's cultural and economic future," said Jim Baudino, engagement marketing manager for Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc. "We are thrilled to participate in such a meaningful and engaging sponsorship."

Agricultural education in the twenty-first century allows students to apply classroom theory and prepares them for a wide range of career opportunities beyond traditional farming and production, including veterinary science, environmental sciences, and biotechnology. As the global population is projected to reach nine billion people by 2050 and consumers' interest in safe and transparent food production grows, agricultural education will become increasingly vital in helping tomorrow's leaders solve complex global problems.

According to the USDA, jobs in Food, Renewable Energy, and the Environment among college graduates are projected to increase by 5% between 2010-2015 thanks to global market and public policy shifts related to food, energy, and the environment. Career website AgCareers.com reported a 29% increase in agriculture-related job postings in 2013, and said that 98% of agriculture employers anticipate staff salary increases in 2014*.

Over the past seven years, Toyota Motor Sales has awarded more than 84 Toyota trucks to educators throughout the U.S. through its sponsorship of the NAAE awards, recognizing innovation and best practices in agricultural education. Toyota Motor Sales is proud to honor the following NAAE award winners for their leadership in civic, community, agriculture/agribusiness, and professional activities:

2013 Outstanding Postsecondary/Adult Agricultural Education Program 

  • Agriculture and Natural Resources Dept. at Hawkeye Community College, Waterloo, Iowa
  • Beebe Dept. of Agriculture at Arkansas State University, Beebe, Ark.
  • Casper College Agriculture Dept., Casper, Wyo.
  • Johnson County Young Farmers Association, Wrightsville, Ga.
  • Mexico Young Farmers Association, Mexico, Mo.
  • Mifflinburg Young Farmers Association, Mifflinburg, Pa.

2013 Outstanding Teacher 

  • Matthew Eddy, Southeast Polk High School, Pleasant Hill, Iowa
  • Jason Larison, Holton High School, Holton, Kan.
  • Don Noorda, Wells High School, Wells, Nev.
  • Amanda Thomson, Middletown High School, Middletown, Conn.
  • Robby Vinzant, Lawrence County High School, Moulton, Ala.
  • Dena Wuebker, Versailles High School, Versailles, Ohio

*2013 Agribusiness Job Report by AgCareers.com. http://www.agcareers.com/us-job-outlook.cfm?year=2013

About Toyota 
Toyota, the world's top automaker and creator of the Prius, is committed to building vehicles for the way people live through our Toyota, Lexus and Scion brands. Over the past 50 years, we've built more than 25 million cars and trucks in North America, where we operate 14 manufacturing plants and directly employ nearly 40,000 people. Our 1,800 North American dealerships sold more than 2.3 million cars and trucks in 2012 – and about 80 percent of all Toyota vehicles sold over the past 20 years are still on the road today.

Toyota partners with philanthropic organizations across the country, with a focus on education, safety and the environment. As part of this commitment, we share the company's extensive know-how garnered from building great cars and trucks to help community organizations and other nonprofits expand their ability to do good. For more information about Toyota, visit http://www.toyotanewsroom.com.

About National Association of Agricultural Educators 
NAAE is the professional organization in the United States for agricultural educators. It provides its nearly 8,000 members with professional networking and development opportunities, professional liability coverage, and extensive awards and recognition programs. Its mission is "professionals providing agricultural education for the global community through visionary leadership, advocacy and service." The NAAE headquarters are in Lexington, Kentucky.

About National FFA Organization 
The National FFA Organization is a national youth organization of 579,678 student members as part of 7,570 local FFA chapters in all 50 states, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. The FFA mission is to make a positive difference in the lives of students by developing their potential for premier leadership, personal growth and career success through agricultural education. The National FFA Organization operates under a federal charter granted by the 81st United States Congress and it is an integral part of public instruction in agriculture. The U.S. Department of Education provides leadership and helps set direction for FFA as a service to state and local agricultural education programs. For more, visit the National FFA Organization online at FFA.org, on Facebook, Twitter and the official National FFA Organization blog.

About National FFA Foundation 
The National FFA Foundation builds partnerships with industry, education, government, other foundations and individuals to secure financial resources that recognize FFA member achievements, develop student leaders and support the future of agricultural education. Governed by a 19-member board of trustees comprised of educators, business leaders, individual donors and FFA alumni, the foundation is a separately-registered nonprofit organization. About 82 percent of every dollar received by the foundation supports FFA members and agricultural education opportunities. For more, visit FFA.org/Give.