Tuesday, 12 July 2022 14:25

Farmers asked to go back to school

Written by  Staff Reporters
Beef + Lamb Inc chief executive Kit Arkwright. Beef + Lamb Inc chief executive Kit Arkwright.

Farmers across the country are being asked to go back to school as part of a new educational programme for children called Farmer Time.

The initiative, which originates from the UK, links farmers with primary and intermediate school children through virtual classroom sessions using video call technology.

Students regularly chat live with their matched farmer, gaining an understanding of farming across the seasons and providing real-world examples of what they’re learning during the school year.

Kit Arkwright, chief executive of Beef + Lamb Inc, which is driving the initiative, is keen to see food producers from all sectors get involved.

Farmer Time puts actual farmers in front of children and gives them genuine insights into how our food is being produced. The feedback from both teachers and farmers has been incredible,” he says.

A pilot programme, which involves eight farmer-teacher pairings across six schools with approximately 184 students, ran across term one, with many pairing staying with the programme in term 2.

Marie Burke, a sheep and beef and crop farmer from Tairāwhiti/Gisborne region, is one of the farmers participating in the pilot. She is paired with a school in Orewa, Auckland.

Farmer Time is such a great programme and I really encourage fellow farmers to sign up. The teachers and children we’ve been matched with have loved learning about what we do and how we grow food.  My husband was initially unsure when I first mentioned Farmer Time, but he’s really enjoyed the interactions we’ve had with the class we’re matched with, and is now almost a bigger fan than I am.”

Food producers who want to get involved or find out more information can visit: www.farmertime.co.nz

More like this

New red meat campaign dots down

A new campaign from Beef + Lamb New Zealand Inc. seeks to highlight the link between life’s memorable moments and New Zealand red meat.

The best job in NZ agriculture!

Newly-appointed chief executive of Beef + Lamb New Zealand, Kit Arkwright, says he has landed the best job in the agriculture sector.

Featured

Boost for hort exports

The horticulture sector is a big winner from recent free trade deals sealed with the Gulf states, says Associate Agriculture Minister Nicola Grigg.

Better animal genetic gain system

A governance group has been formed, following extensive sector consultation, to implement the recommendations from the Industry Working Group's (IWG) final report and is said to be forming a 'road map' for improving New Zealand's animal genetic gain system.

SIDE 2025's new schedule, venue

Annual farmer gathering, the South Island Dairy Event (SIDE), is set to make history as it heads to Timaru for the first time.

Taranaki piggery goes solar

Installing 400 solar panels at their Taranaki piggery and cropping operation will have significant environmental, financial and animal welfare benefits for the Stanley family.

National

The show is on!

It was bringing in a new Canterbury A&P Association (CAPA) show board, more in tune with the CAPA general committee,…

Food charity to hold online auction

Meat the Need, New Zealand’s dedicated charity delivering locally sourced protein meals to food-insecure communities, is launching an online National…

Machinery & Products

An ideal solution for larger farms

Designed specifically for large farms that want to drill with maximum flexibility, efficiency and power, the new Lemken Solitair ST…

Landpower increases its offering

Landpower and the Claas Harvest Centre network will launch the Claas Scorpion and Torion material handling solutions to the market…

» Latest Print Issues Online

The Hound

Leaky waka

OPINION: Was the ASB Economic Weekly throwing shade on Reserve Bank governor Adrian Orr when reporting on his speech in…

Know-it-alls

OPINION: A reader recently had a shot at the various armchair critics that she judged to be more than a…

» Connect with Rural News

» eNewsletter

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter