"Destinations include other parts of the British Isles, Europe, the United States, Canada and Australia," confirmed YFCU president Adrian Cooper.
"New Zealand is included every second year. The visits provide members with a unique opportunity to experience different farming systems and to see, at firsthand, how farming families in other parts of the world go about their business. While away, each student is expected to produce one interim report, detailing what they have seen and experienced. On arrival back home this is supplemented with a final report. All exchange students have the opportunity to present their thoughts on what they had seen while away at YFCU meetings in different parts of Northern Ireland."
He added: "In turn YFCU, either in our own right or in conjunction with our sister organisations in England, Scotland and Wales, facilitates visits by young farmers from other parts of the world to these shores."
Last week saw David Dunlop from Finvoy Young Farmers' Club head out to Ontario on his exchange visit. Currently studying for a degree in agricultural technology at CAFRE Greenmount, he will be staying on a number of farms in Canada while away. David comes from a strong dairy farming background with the family farm home to the Slackwater Holstein herd.
His trip has been jointly sponsored by United Feeds and United Dairy Farmers.
"I am delighted to get this opportunity of visiting Canada," explained David, directly prior to his departure.
"It represents a once-in-a-lifetime chance for me to see the scale of farming in Canada and to find out how other people set about overcoming the challenges that confront them as they go about their day-to-day farming operations."