Pictured on Bessvale Farm, County Antrim is Jonny Tuft farm host, Lynsay Beattie UFU communications officer and BOIOFW schools’ coordinator, Department of Education Minister Paul Givan MLA, John McLenaghan UFU deputy president, Wendy Gallagher BOIOFW project manager and James McCluggage policy and communications director.
The Ulster Farmers’ Union (UFU) welcomed Minister for Education, Paul Givan, to Bessvale Farm in County Antrim (13 June), as part of the Bank of Ireland Open Farm Weekend schools’ day. The visit spotlighted the essential role agriculture plays in education, and the UFU’s continued efforts to strengthen that connection.
Hosted by local farmers and UFU members Jonny and Bobby Tuft, the event offered pupils a hands-on opportunity to engage with the farming world. Pupils interacted with farm hosts, observed live demonstrations, and gained a better understanding of agriculture’s critical role in food production and environmental stewardship.
UFU deputy president John McLenaghan said, “We were delighted to welcome over 1,700 pupils from across Northern Ireland to this year’s dedicated schools’ day. These experiences are invaluable as they give pupils a unique opportunity to explore a real-life working farm and understand the journey of food from farm to fork. It’s about reconnecting consumers with food production and recognising farmers as the backbone of our economy.”
During the visit, Mr McLenaghan briefed the Minister on the UFU’s ongoing initiatives aimed at embedding agriculture within the education system. These efforts include:
- Open Farm Weekend schools’ competition and schools’ day
- Twinkl NI educational partnership
- Post-primary agri-schools’ competition
- Career networking events
- In-school agriculture talks
- UFU’s education commitment
- Educational videos for primary pupils
- A suite of supporting UFU learning resources
“We stressed to the Minister how important it is that every young person, regardless of background, has the opportunity to explore agriculture and the diverse career opportunities it offers. Today’s pupils are tomorrow’s leaders. By providing access to food, farming, and environmental topics, the UFU is helping create a society that understands agriculture and values the work of farmers,” added Mr McLenaghan.
Education Minister, Paul Givan added, “It was a privilege to engage with representatives from the UFU during our visit to Bessvale Farm, where we discussed their impactful initiatives aimed at enhancing agricultural literacy within an education setting.
“I’d like to commend the UFU and Bank of Ireland Open Farm Weekend for their continued commitment to strengthening the connection between agriculture and education at all school levels. I look forward to building on this valuable collaboration in the future.”
The UFU will continue engaging with the Department of Education, aiming to collaborate on further embedding agri-education into all levels of the curriculum. Proposals will be developed and shared with the Minister to explore future partnership opportunities.
