FARMING MATTERS: Asking youngsters to consider a career inagriculture

It’s not all mud, tweed and early mornings - that’s the message on the cover of the new NFU magazine for young people, aimed to educate the next generation about what farming can offer as a career.

The #studentfarmer ‘Schools Edition’ is free of charge and is currently being trialed in over 14o schools, promoting varied careers in agriculture to 13-16 year olds who are making decisions about their studies.

The first issue shows how diverse the farming industry can be, tries to break down sterotypes around farming, and discusses livestock versus arable sectors.

The NFU has seen award winning success with its original #studentfarmer magazine launched in 2012 and distributed free to agricultural colleges and universities.

Now the spin off is going into all educational establishments in the hope it will inspire younger students who may not yet have even considered a career in the agricultural industry.

Editor Emily Cole said: “The aim of the Schools Edition is simple - we want to make sure the next generation has the facts about the farming industry before they make decisions influencing the career they pursue.

“From the perspective of a person on the outside looking in, the industry has a lot of false stereotypes.

“We wanted the reality to shine through.”