Scoil Naomh Bríd, Talbotstown, Co Wicklow, has been crowned the 2021 FBD Farm Safe Schools Champions after completing the Agri Aware Farm Safe Schools programme along with over 500 other schools around the country.

The Agri Aware Farm Safe Schools programme is run in association with the IFA and Agrikids and is supported by FBD.

In order to become an accredited farm safe school, teachers must cover three topics in each programme module and show evidence of the lessons learned in each topic.

Accreditation

Schools showing excellence in each module achieve superstar accreditation and are then entered into the Farm Safe Schools contest.

Farmers in the winning school’s area made videos on key farm safety topics. The children staged dramas and role plays all on the themed of safety on farms.

“Great credit is due to the pupils and their teachers for the enthusiasm and energy they all put into their projects,” Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture Martin Heydon said.

“I look forward to this becoming an annual project that helps us to drive down the unacceptably high level of farm fatalities and serious incidents,” stated the minister.

Submission quality

Chair of Agri Aware Alan Jagoe said: “The quality of submissions and the evidence of learning we have witnessed over the past three months is a testament to the commitment and importance teachers have placed on this programme.

“We thank every one of them for not only introducing these modules into their classrooms, but also working to create a safer future on Irish farms by empowering tomorrow’s farmers today,” he said.