Rural Affairs

UFU schools’ competition 2025

Friday, 28 February, 2025

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The Ulster Farmers’ Union in partnership with the Bank of Ireland Open Farm Weekend initiative and competition sponsor Asda, are challenging pupils across Northern Ireland to put their creative flare to the test in this year’s schools’ competition, ‘from NI farms to fork’.

What is the competition?

The annual schools’ competition is open to all playgroups, pre-school, nursery, primary, and special schools in Northern Ireland. This year’s theme ‘From NI farms to fork’, will enable pupils to learn how farmers work hard to produce the high-quality food we eat, and understand that for generations, farming has shaped our NI landscape creating different environments that support our economy.

This year’s schools’ competition theme aims to spark conversations among teachers and parents about the significance of supporting local food production, our unique family farm structure in NI and the ‘farm to fork’ message.

What is Bank of Ireland Open Farm Weekend?

BOIOFW is taking place on Friday 13, Saturday 14 and Sunday 15 June 2025. This free educational event aimed at schools and families promotes the ‘farm to fork’ message. The message is delivered exclusively to pupils through a FREE interactive on-farm experience on Friday 13 June 2025. The school’s day in 2024 saw over 1600 pupils learn about local food production in NI. Farms will be announced from March/April 2024 onwards at www.openfarmweekend.com, where schools can check which farm is in their vicinity and request a school visit by completing a pro forma (Please note, slots are limited). If you cannot visit a participating farm, you can still take part in our schools’ competition which will give you a flavour of local farming.

The competition is split into five sections:

Foundation level (Nursery, pre-school and playgroups): “From NI farms to fork.” Pupils should decorate the picture “From NI farms to fork.” (male and female template).
Download the female template by clicking here. Download the male template by clicking here.
Foundation (Primary 1 and Primary 2): “From NI farms to fork.” Pupils should decorate the picture of “From NI farms to fork” template and what products we produce in NI.
Download the template by clicking here.
Key stage 1 (Primary 3 and 4): Draw an image and provide a tagline/slogan to help NI farmers promote their high-quality produce. This could be a logo for a product with a tagline. For example (logo on a milk carton with the tagline, farm fresh).
Download the template by clicking here.
Key stage 2 (Primary 5, 6 and 7): How to promote NI produce on a world level. Pupils are asked to create a sustainability body initiative including a logo and 150-200 words explaining how NI can better promote its local produce (any commodity). For example, an overarching NI body that promotes all commodities in NI or a sector specific body.
Download the template by clicking here.
Special schools: Can enter any section of the competition.

Prizes sponsored by Asda include:

£200 for the winning school in each section plus transport for a class to nearest participating open farm.
£40 for the winning pupil in each section.
£100 for the runner-up school in each section plus a Bramley apple tree.
£20 for the runner-up pupil in each section.
Planting set for third place pupil in each section.
Highly commended certificates.

The closing date for entries is Friday 11 April 2025.

Entries are non-returnable: The winning entries will be used by BOIOFW and the UFU, and copyright will not apply. There is no limit to the number of entries and schools can photocopy the poster as many times as required. Originality and neatness will be taken into consideration during judging. The judges’ decision is final.

Please note: Entries will be showcased on social media and on farms throughout the weekend where children’s names are visible. If a pupil wishes not to have their name on display, please write their name on the back and the Bank of Ireland Open Farm Weekend schools co-ordinator will blank this out.