What’s the Beef With Agriculture? Evaluating The Effectiveness of an Agricultural Literacy Intervention on Students’ Attitudes and Knowledge Toward Sustainability and Animal Agriculture

Agricultural literacy is essential for helping individuals understand how food systems impact their daily lives and society. While most research has focused on students’ knowledge, this study addresses the underexplored role of attitudes—critical predictors of behavior—as outcomes of educational interventions. This research analyzed survey data collected before and after an agricultural literacy intervention delivered to high school students in school-based agricultural education (SBAE) programs. The curriculum focused on sustainability in animal agriculture. Findings from paired samples t-tests showed statistically significant improvements in students' attitudes (from moderately neutral to more positive) and knowledge scores. Further analyses revealed that demographic factors such as gender, prior agricultural experience, participation in 4-H or FFA, school location, and race/ethnicity were all associated with student attitudes and knowledge changes. Additionally, the results supported the Knowledge–Attitude–Practice (KAP) theory, as increased knowledge strongly predicted positive attitudinal development. These findings suggest that well-designed agricultural literacy programs can effectively improve both understanding and perceptions of sustainability in agriculture. This has broad implications for educators, researchers, and organizations that foster informed, thoughtful engagement in food systems. Future research should explore long-term impacts on behavior and further develop the proposed theoretical framework for agricultural literacy.