The group, all of whom were not from a farming background, came from the surrounding counties to visit Cereals in Hertfordshire. They gained valuable insights into the latest advancements in farming and explored the exciting opportunities within STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) careers.
NFU Farmers for Schools Ambassadors took the students on a ‘scavenger hunt’ of the site to see first-hand the latest advancements in the world of arable farming.
The students took part in hands-on STEM workshops on a variety of topics, where they learned which crops are grown and why, and explored the importance of soil health with NIAB. They took on practical tasks in plant science, hydraulic and pneumatics with Omya, Rothamsted Research and the NFU Education team.
Shining a spotlight on farming
NFU Vice President Rachel Hallos said inviting schoolchildren to Cereals was a “fantastic way of opening up our exciting industry to young people from non-farming backgrounds and shining a spotlight on what we do, day in – day out, to provide food for the nation and our work in caring for the environment”.
She said the vast majority of pupils in urban schools have never been on a farm and “don’t know much about agriculture”.
“I believe in making farming fun and interesting for youngsters so as they get older, they can start to appreciate what the countryside and rural areas can offer,” Rachel said.
“It’s incredibly exciting to again bring a group of students to Cereals to showcase the amazing range of STEM careers available within our industry and hopefully inspire the next generation.”
“I believe in making farming fun and interesting for youngsters so as they get older, they can start to appreciate what the countryside and rural areas can offer.”
NFU Vice President Rachel Hallos
Sandy Secondary School teacher Sarah Neesam said the students “all really loved it and were super interested in everything”.
“I thought the activities were all appropriate in length and difficulty/attention needed and everyone we came across were so friendly, helpful and knowledgeable,” she added.
