Agri Aware farm walk and talk series back for 2024

Agri Aware’s annual farm walk series for secondary school students studying agricultural science will take place this year in February and March.

The farm walk and talk campaign will be held on 11 farms across the country, from Donegal (a new venue for 2024) to Cork, Meath and more.

In 2023, just under 4,000 students took part in these farm walks.

Agri Aware chair Shay Galvin said the series ensures second-level students across the country can see the work that happens on Irish farms.

“It is hugely important for agricultural science students to see first hand the great work that happens on farms, which imparts an appreciation for the work Irish farmers do to produce quality sustainable food 365 days of the year.

“It is vital we pass on the most up-to-date research and best practices to the next generation, as the students we will be meeting over the next few weeks will be the primary food producers, food scientists and leaders in the agriculture industry that we will be relying on to drive this industry forward,” he said.

Theory

Galvin added that the Agri Aware farm walks allow students to experience the theory they learn in the classroom applied on farms.

“Farm walk and talk allows students to see the topics they learn about in action on a working farm. Students also have the opportunity to talk to industry experts and see developments in farming first hand.

“We hope those who come to farm walk and talk will leave with a greater appreciation and understanding of Irish agriculture, with the hope that both give them an edge in their studies of this subject come exam time,” he said.

Real life experience

The farm walk and talk events will be held across the country for Leaving Cert agricultural science students to get real-life farm experience and witness farming in person and off the page.

Over the years on farm walk and talks, students have observed milking and beef cattle being graded, attended sustainability and farm safety talks and participated in lambing.

Although many agricultural science students come from farming backgrounds, the series allows students to get a taste of other areas of farming they may not have previously experienced.

Students get to see the workings of a farm and learn about the subject for their individual investigative study topic.

The launch of the 2024 farm walk and talk series took place on Tullamore Farm, the Irish Farmers Journal’s demonstration farm, which is one of the venues.

Agri Aware chair Shay Galvin and executive director Marcus O’Halloran were joined by partners of the series, including the Irish Farmers Journal, Teagasc and University College Dublin (UCD) School of Agriculture and Food Science, as well as students from St Joseph’s Secondary School in Rochfortbridge, Co Offaly.

Students this year will once again receive a copy of the Agri Aware farm walk and talk student notes booklet.