Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

POLK COUNTY—This year marks the 20th anniversary of the Polk County High School Agriculture Education program’s tomato giveaway to all K-4 students in the county.

The program, which began in 2005, provides each elementary student with a tomato plant grown by high school agriculture students.

“We had some extra plants back in 2005 and thought it would be a nice gesture and thought maybe it might spark kids interest in agriculture and growing their own food,” said PCHS agriculture teacher Chauncey Barber.

The initiative appears to have achieved its goal of inspiring agricultural interest among younger students.

“I think it has worked out well because about every student I have in class remembers getting a plant every spring,” Barber said.