The 'Food - a fact of life' on-farm event has proved to be a "resounding success", according to the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB).
A total of 65 teachers from various parts of the country participated in a hands-on workshop at Harper Adams University (HAU), gaining opportunities to engage in activities related to food production, science and nutrition, ultimately "enhancing" their curriculum delivery.
AHDB said the conference featured workshops covering a range of topics and included a farm walk of the university's beef and sheep units, robotic milking dairy unit, and pig unit. Participants experienced ice cream production, bread production and sensory evaluation of food products.
The event, delivered in partnership by AHDB and the British Nutrition Foundation, included sessions on nutrition, emphasising how breakfast impacts the dietary quality of children. It highlighted specific initiatives such as regenerative flour, alterative feed and nutrition, all aiming to "contribute to the environment's well-being". It informed teachers about the career opportunities available to their students in this sector.
Boosting classroom teaching
AHDB’s head of education, Roz Reynolds, said: “It was a great experience collaborating with the team at Harper Adams University to host our interactive 'Food – a fact of life' conference, together with the British Nutrition Foundation. Teacher training is a key part of our overall education programme, and we were thrilled with the turnout for this hands-on and immersive conference.
"Teachers really enjoyed the opportunity to learn first-hand from industry experts and see sustainable farming in action through the farm tour. We have received hugely positive feedback from teachers that the day provided new insights and ideas to boost their classroom teaching."
Frances Meek, education services manager, British Nutrition Foundation said: “We were delighted to work in partnership with AHDB and Harper Adams University to be able to offer teachers this valuable opportunity for professional development.
"As a former teacher myself, I know how important it is to get hands-on experience of a wide range of activities, as well as to be able to network with colleagues and experts in the field. Our hope is that the learnings teachers take away from the event will support them to provide even more engaging and up to date lessons for children and young people.”
This story was originally published on a previous version of the Meat Management website and so there may be some missing images and formatting issues.
