The students’ visit to Cereals, the UK’s technical event for the arable industry, was organised in collaboration with Agri-Hub and included a guided walking tour of the event with interactive sessions covering a wide range of topics, including soil science, the use of drones and robotics in agriculture, and cutting-edge farm machinery.
The students also had a photo opportunity with the New Holland T6 Methane Power tractor, the world’s first 10% methane powered production tractor.
Shining a spotlight on farming innovation
Speaking about the occasion, NFU Chief Education Manager Josh Payne said: “Inviting Secondary school students to attend Cereals 2023 was a fantastic opportunity to open up our industry to young people from non-agricultural backgrounds and shine a spotlight on the exciting innovation and research within the farming sector.
“It was incredibly exciting to be able to bring these students and their teachers to the event and showcase the amazing range of STEM careers available within our industry.”
Alongside their exploration of the latest advancements in farming, the students also attended talks with various role models from across the world of farming, such as former NFU Student & Young Farmer Ambassador Erin McNaught, and NFU crops board member Olly Harrison, who will discuss his tractor run from Land’s End to John O’Groats to raise awareness for mental health in farming.
Encouraging young people to get involved in agriculture
NFU President Minette Batters said: “There are many students, especially from urban areas, who have never been on a farm before or who do not know much about agriculture.
“Inviting secondary school students to attend the Cereals show is a great opportunity to open up our industry to young people from non-agricultural backgrounds and shine a spotlight on the exciting innovation and technology within the farming sector.
“It’s important to encourage young people and make agriculture fun and interesting so that as they get older, they can become more involved in the countryside and rural areas. It’s incredibly exciting to be able to bring these students to this event and showcase the amazing range of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) careers available within our industry.
“Through offering this experience, we hope to inspire a new generation of agricultural innovators and develop their appreciation for the exciting opportunities that await them in the farming industry.”
