Nutrien launches Ag Lab for youth

Agriculture education in northern Florida got a big boost on December 7, when Nutrien’s White Springs Phosphate facility announced a $150,000 contribution to help fund the nearby Hamilton County High School’s agriculture program.

Nutrien leaders including Interim Nitrogen & Phosphate President Trevor Williams, Phosphate Vice President Mike Dirham and White Springs General Manager Jeffrey Joyce were on hand – as were state and local officials – to help celebrate the donation which will be implemented over three years. As a symbol of our ongoing commitment to the local community, the lab will be named the Nutrien Ag Lab.

After consultation with the high school and local stakeholders, White Springs made the donation to help provide students with educational and leadership opportunities, support hands-on learning activities at the agriculture lab and support program needs.

Along with the monetary donation, the school was handed the keys to a new John Deere tractor and implements, provided by Nutrien, to aid in the activities at the Nutrien Ag Lab.

“Our purpose is Feeding the Future, but that goes much deeper than providing food for the world’s growing population,” said Mike Dirham during the announcement. “It includes feeding students’ minds and preparing them for an exciting future in the workforce. Hamilton County High School’s vision is to ‘produce, through a rigorous curriculum, prepared young adults that are creative, individual learners, and productive citizens of society, where each individual will be prepared to enter a college, trade or vocational school, or work force with the tools needed to be successful’ – and we are thrilled to play a role in bringing that vision to life through the Nutrien Ag Lab.”

Lee Wetherington-Zamora, Superintendent of Schools, Hamilton County, praised Nutrien as an excellent corporate partner and noted the company’s ongoing commitment to the community:

“I am very appreciative of Nutrien’s partnership with our Hamilton County School District. The support Nutrien has committed to providing for our Career and Technology Education Department signifies the proactive relationship between an educational institute and an innovative corporate business. This partnership will ensure our Hamilton County students have the opportunities to build their future as productive members of our society. With Nutrien’s commitment to feeding the future of education, Hamilton County School District’s vision of ‘Ensuring a Successful Future for All Students’ can be realized.”