November 27, 2012
Washington, D.C. –The Nutrients for Life Foundation has announced its in-school fertilizer education and public awareness services in Kansas. The Nutrients for Life Foundation program will be led by Regional Representative Sarah Bowser and is supported by a $120,000 donation made by the program’s founding sponsor, Koch Fertilizer, LLC.
Bowser’s primary role will be to work with elementary and secondary educators to promote Nutrients for Life Foundation’s plant and soil science curriculum, Nourishing the Planet in the 21st Century. This free curriculum was reviewed by the Smithsonian Institution and addresses objectives from the National Science Education Standards. Bowser will also work with industry members to share the Foundation’s core programs within their communities through activities like working with local FFA and 4-H programs.
“Kansas is an excellent state to launch the Nutrients for Life Foundation program and Sarah is just the person to share the foundation’s resources,” said Foundation Executive Director Harriet Wegmeyer. “She is ready to hit the ground running and provide teachers with the tools they need to educate students effectively about fertilizers and soil science.”
With successful regional representatives based in Florida, Idaho, Illinois and Iowa, the Foundation recognized a need for more ‘on-the-ground’ educational resources and expanded the regional representative program.
"The Nutrients for Life Foundation in Kansas is focused on providing education about the important role fertilizer and crop nutrients play in everyone’s daily lives. As a Kansas-based company, we wanted to support this program and expand the knowledge of fertilizer in our home state,” said Steve Packebush, president of Koch Fertilizer.
“I look forward to the opportunities and challenges of educating Kansas citizens on the important role fertilizer plays in feeding our world. Practical, hands-on curriculum is exactly what science education needs,” said Bowser. “The Nutrients for Life Foundation provides teachers with excellent resources to enhance their science curriculum and promote greater understanding of fertilizers and their role in the global food chain.”
Bowser graduated from the Kansas State University with a bachelor’s degree in Agricultural Economics and recently graduated from The University of Kansas with a Master in Public Administration. Bowser also works for Kansas Agribusiness Retailers Association providing membership services to more than 700 Kansas agribusinesses. Bowser is based in Topeka and can be reached via e-mail at sbowser@nutrientsforlife.org or by phone at (785) 234-0461.
More information about the Nutrients for Life Foundation can be viewed on its Web site at www.nutrientsforlife.org.
About Koch Fertilizer
Koch Fertilizer is the founding sponsor for Nutrients for Life Foundation (NFL) in Kansas. NFL is a foundation that educates people about fertilizers and the role plant nutrients serve in improving people’s lives. Join Koch Fertilizer in supporting fertilizer education in Kansas https://www.nutrientsforlife.org/donate/.
Koch Fertilizer and its subsidiaries market and distribute more than 12 million tons of fertilizer products annually. The company also owns or has interests in eight fertilizer production facilities and more than 90 terminals around the world.