A new study released last week found that more than 80 percent of high school science teachers surveyed think agricultural science is important, but only 22 percent say it makes up at least some of their lesson plans.

In the study, conducted by Bayer and the National 4-H Council, less than half of the teachers surveyed felt qualified to teach agri-science and believe there is less emphasis placed on learning this particular STEM industry today as compared to 15 years ago.

Bayer and National 4-H Council also conducted a survey of more than 1,000 parents of high school students. The survey found that 86 percent of parents agree it’s important for the country’s future success to encourage pursuit of careers in the agricultural industries, and 68 percent said the industry provides exciting career opportunities. However, nearly 70 percent of respondents do not believe their children will pursue a career in agri-science, even though data from the United States Department of Agriculture shows tens of thousands of jobs each year in agriculture go unfilled by qualified candidates.

Bayer and National 4-H launched Science Matters in August 2017 with a goal to equip at least 25,000 students in urban, suburban and rural areas alike with the tools and support they need to deepen their understanding of science.

The initiative just launched a new way to show your support for 4H, STEM and Science Matters – stickers now available for iMessage users! Check them out and start using them today!