RICHMOND—Virginia’s Agriculture in the Classroom program has named My Virginia Plate, written by Tammy Maxey and illustrated by Kevin Pitts and Greg Cravens, its 2015 Virginia AITC Book of the Year.

The children’s book was created to provide a teaching tool about nutrition and how Virginia farmers produce a wide variety of foods that are a part of a healthy diet.

Maxey is senior education program coordinator for Virginia AITC. My Virginia Plate will be read and distributed in schools statewide by volunteers during Virginia’s fifth annual Agriculture Literacy Week, March 15-21, 2015.

“Last year volunteers read to more than 50,000 children in 2,300 classrooms across the state,” Maxey said. “We’re hoping to get even more people to volunteer to read this year and to share the story of agriculture in their communities.”

Volunteers have included Virginia Farm Bureau Federation Women’s Program and Young Farmers Program participants, FFA members, employees of the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services and other state agencies, and members of other agricultural organizations and businesses. Farm Credit of the Virginias and Southern States have been major supporters.

For more information about Agriculture Literacy Week, visit AgInTheClass.org.

Media: Contact Maxey at 804-290-1143.