RICHMOND—Virginia’s Agriculture in the Classroom program has named The Cow in Patrick O’Shanahan’s Kitchen, a children’s book written by Diana Prichard, its 2016 Book of the Year.

The book encourages young readers to consider how their favorite breakfast foods arrive on their plates. Volunteers will read it in schools across Virginia March 14-31 as part of Virginia AITC’s Agriculture Literacy Project.

National Ag Day is March 15; the Agriculture Literacy Project will run concurrently with National Ag Week but has been extended this year.

“We expanded from Agriculture Literacy Week to two weeks due to its increasing popularity and demand for volunteer readers,” said Tammy Maxey, senior education program coordinator for Virginia AITC.

Last year 1,200 volunteers read to more than 50,000 children across the state. Volunteers have included participants in the Virginia Farm Bureau Federation Women’s Program and Young Farmers Program, 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 Cooperative Inc. have been major supporters.

For more information, visit AgInTheClass.org. Companion educational materials will be available on the website to accompany the book.

Media: Contact Maxey at 804-290-1143.