Soil meets STEM with new FarmBeats training for Iowa educators

Picture a classroom where students aren’t just reading about agriculture in textbooks, they’re testing soil moisture with sensors, analyzing crop data on their laptops, and brainstorming how technology could help farmers grow more food with fewer resources. That’s the vision behind FarmBeats, a new professional development training through NewBoCo that’s giving educators the tools to bring agricultural technology to life for their students.

For years, NewBoCo has been at the forefront of tech education in Iowa, from coding classes for kids to teacher training that strengthens STEM programs statewide. Now, the nonprofit is taking that expertise to the field, literally, by helping teachers show students how technology and agriculture go hand in hand.

FarmBeats, powered by Microsoft’s curriculum, introduces middle and high school students to the world of “AgTech.” With more than 20 lessons, students learn how data science, Internet of Things (IoT) devices, and even machine learning are transforming farming. The curriculum covers modern challenges like boosting crop yields, conserving water, and promoting sustainability, while giving students hands-on tools to explore solutions themselves.

It’s not just theory. Each participating teacher receives a starter kit that includes a micro:bit, sensors, and accessories. With these simple, affordable tools, students can collect real soil data and see how technology can guide better farming practices. Schools that already own micro:bits can simply order the accessory kits, making it easy to scale.

“This is where STEM meets soil,” said Samantha Dahlby, Director of Education at NewBoCo. “We know students are curious about technology, and many of them already understand the importance of agriculture here in Iowa. FarmBeats connects the dots, it shows them that farming is high-tech and that there are exciting career opportunities in this space.”

The training itself is just as hands-on as the curriculum. Educators walk through the lessons, try out the hardware, and learn how to adapt the program for their classrooms. By the end of the workshop, teachers are ready to guide students in exploring real-world problems with the same tools being used by today’s farmers and researchers.

Imagine a student who loves coding discovering how algorithms can optimize irrigation, or a future environmental scientist learning how data can reduce chemical use on crops. These aren’t distant possibilities, they’re the kind of connections FarmBeats is looking to spark in Iowa classrooms.

By offering this training, NewBoCo is hoping the program opens the door for students to see agriculture through a new lens, one that blends tradition with technology and plants seeds for the next generation of innovators who will help tackle some of the world’s biggest challenges, starting right here in Iowa.

And as the program grows, NewBoCo hopes FarmBeats will do more than strengthen STEM education, it will inspire a pipeline of students who see themselves in the future of agriculture and technology, shaping a workforce ready to keep Iowa thriving in a changing world.

For more information about FarmBeats and to see upcoming workshop opportunities, visit https://newbo.co/education/educators/farmbeats