Tullamore is the location for an Agri Aware Farm Walk

Agri Aware’s popular Farm Walk and Talk series is back for 2023, launched last week with the help of Minister of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue at UCD Lyons farm in County Kildare.

There will be a farm walk at the Irish Farmer's Journal farm in Tullamore on March 23.

After a successful return last year, Agri Aware is offering up extended dates to meet the growing demand and will see almost 4,000 students attend this year - an increase of 1000 students. Over the years students have had memorable Farm Walk and Talk days, from observing milking, grading cattle and grass measuring, to attending sustainability talks and even participating in the live lambing of sheep!

Registration is open. Places for the events are on a first come, first served basis, and will be accompanied by a set of printed educational notes and a suite of classroom friendly video assets. Teachers can view the events and register their class here.

The launch was also followed by a roundtable advocacy meeting, which allowed the key partners of the events – Agri Aware, IASTA, Teagasc, UCD and the Irish Farmers Journal - the opportunity to speak to the Minister about concerns voiced by many in the Agriculture sector on the difficulty of the new Ag. Science curriculum, and the effect it is having on the uptake of the subject in schools

Minister for Agriculture, Charlie McConalogue commented on the events, saying “The Agri Aware Farm Walk and Talk series is a tremendous initiative in ensuring that we showcase the huge work the committed and dedicated farmers of Ireland do every day. It is hugely important for Ag Science students to see, first-hand, the great work that goes on farms.

“Ag Science students are the farmers, the food scientists and the leaders of the next generation of our outstanding industry. We are an industry that supports every rural parish in the country and has exports of over €16bn. It is crucial that we continue to develop and sustainably grow our sector and I know our Ag. Science students will take on the baton and lead us with distinction.”

Alan Jagoe, Agri Aware Chairman said “Agri Aware’s Farm Walk and Talk gives thousands of Leaving Certificate Agricultural Science students an insight into a day on the farm and the hard work goes along with it.

"Farm Walk and Talk allows students to see the topics they learn about in action on a working farm. The students 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 understanding of agriculture and their future in it.”

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