UFU takes farming to NI primary schools

The new teaching resources will provide children from urban as well as rural areas, with an opportunity to understand the origin of food and the all-important role that farming families play in NI’s economy.

UFU president William Irvine said: “The UFU work extremely hard in the area of education for children, and we are delighted to launch our new partnership with Twinkl, bringing fun and interactive agriculture resources to school pupils. These will enable children to learn how farmers produce the food we eat, and understand that for generations, farming has shaped our NI landscape creating different environments that support our economy, rural communities, tourism and recreation. We need to ensure that pupils have every opportunity to learn about all thing’s food, from its farm origins and production process to the importance of local farming and food production in NI, creating a better understanding on how high-quality food is produced.

“Through our new partnership with Twinkl, we have developed a range of ready-made resources for teachers, corresponding to all stages of primary education. This includes a farming through the seasons and food seasonality calendar with worksheets to reinforce the farm to fork message and how farming changes throughout the various seasons. The aim of the resources is to enhance pupils learning in ‘the world around us’ and ‘personal development and mutual understanding’, showcasing the farm to fork message and how farmers’ work hand in hand with nature to produce nutritious food for consumers. We look forward to teachers utilising the resources and hope they will become key in delivering farming and land-based lessons as part of their wider teaching plan.”

Country manager for Twinkl Northern Ireland, Susan Ferguson said: "We are delighted to announce our partnership with the Ulster Farmers Union. Twinkl Northern Ireland takes great pride in 'helping those who teach' and we feel these resources will be of great benefit to teachers in helping children understand the important role of farming in our community."

The UFU is running a competition in partnership with Twinkl for a school to win a ‘grow your own’ planting set and tools, waterproof trousers, hi-vis vests and a six-month Twinkl ultimate subscription for a teacher’s class. To enter, visit Twinkl’s Facebook page (@Twinklni).