30 January 2023

Minister of Agriculture, Charlie McConalogue launches 2023 Spring Agri Aware Farm Walk & Talk events for Agricultural Science students

Agri Aware’s popular Farm Walk and Talk series is back for 2023, launching today with the help of Minister of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue at UCD Lyons farm in County Kildare.

Farm Walk and Talk is a collaborative event between Agri Aware, IASTA, UCD, Irish Farmers Journal and Teagasc

After a successful return last year, Agri Aware is offering up extended dates to meet the growing demand and will see almost 4,000 students attend this year - an increase of 1000 students. Over the years students have had memorable Farm Walk and Talk days, from observing milking, grading cattle and grass measuring, to attending sustainability talks and even participating in the live lambing of sheep!

Registration will open at 1PM on Monday the 30^th of January. Places for the events are on a first come, first served basis, and will be accompanied by a set of printed educational notes and a suite of classroom friendly video assets. Teachers can view the events and register their class here.

The launch was also followed by a roundtable advocacy meeting, which allowed the key partners of the events – Agri Aware, IASTA, Teagasc, UCD and the Irish Farmers Journal - the opportunity to speak to the Minister about concerns voiced by many in the Agriculture sector on the difficulty of the new Ag. Science curriculum, and the effect it is having on the uptake of the subject in schools.

Minister for Agriculture, Charlie McConalogue commented on the events, saying “The Agri Aware Farm Walk and Talk series is a tremendous initiative in ensuring that we showcase the huge work the committed and dedicated farmers of Ireland do every day. It is hugely important for Ag Science students to see, first-hand, the great work that goes on farms.

Ag. Science students are the farmers, the food scientists and the leaders of the next generation of our outstanding industry. We are an industry that supports every rural parish in the country and has exports of over €16bn. It is crucial that we continue to develop and sustainably grow our sector and I know our Ag. Science students will take on the baton and lead us with distinction.”

Alan Jagoe, Agri Aware Chairman said “Agri Aware’s Farm Walk and Talk gives thousands of Leaving Certificate Agricultural Science students an insight into a day on the farm and the hard work goes along with it.

Farm Walk and Talk allows students to see the topics they learn about in action on a working farm. The students have the opportunity to talk to industry experts and see developments in farming first-hand.

We hope those who come to Farm Walk and Talk will leave with a greater understanding of agriculture and their future in it.”

Joe Corroon, IASTA Chairman The Irish Agricultural Science Teachers’ Association, IASTA, said “We are delighted to be involved once again in the national Farm Walk and Talk events for Leaving Certificate Agricultural Science students preparing for their exam. These events are an integral part of the Ag. Science calendar where students can get real-life experiences on working farms and to hear talks from agricultural and food industry experts and from leading academics, all in a practical environment. Over the years, thousands of Ag. Science students have taken the opportunity to go to the Farm Walk and Talks, at various locations, and gained a deeper, more practical knowledge of what they have studied in the classroom.

We in IASTA would like to thank Agri aware for their planning and delivery of the annual Farm Walk and Talk events. We would also like to pay tribute to Teagasc, UCD and the Irish Farmers Journal who are always willing to make their farms available for these events. IASTA wish all students the very best in their Agricultural science studies, their Leaving cert exams and in their future careers”.

Professor Frank Monahan - Dean of Agriculture & Head of School at UCD School of Agriculture and Food Science commented, “The UCD School of Agriculture and Food Science is delighted to host the Agri-Aware Farm Walk and Talk event again this year and to welcome over 700 students to UCD Lyons Farm where they will experience first-hand our research and innovation in animal and crop science, sustainability, food and veterinary sciences.

We view this initiative as extremely important in supporting Agri-Aware’s objective of raising awareness of the Irish agri-food sector among the public at large.

The students who visit UCD Lyons Farm will influence the future development of the Irish Agri-Food sector, some by becoming directly involved in farming and food production, others as consumers. Understanding the essential role agriculture plays in delivering a secure and sustainable global food supply is critical".