Businesses and schools are now able to sponsor a 'wooden cow' for children to decorate in a bid to encourage food and farming education.
A local business or school can sponsor a wooden cow for £50 for their chosen class to decorate and to 'plant up' with whatever they want.
Launched at Ysgol Y Bannau primary school, Brecon, the ‘Wooden Cow - Grow your Own’ competition comes from the Cows on Tour team.
The aim of the initiative is to encourage children to think about where their food comes from and to recognise farmers’ role in producing food.
The educational group, which is made up of Welsh farmers, has been running for five years.
Cows On Tour team member Abi Reader said: “We would like schools to send us a photo collage of their decorated cow, which will have been planted up by the children, and up to 200 words on their idea and an explanation of their interpretation of ‘Grow Your Own’.”
At the launch – the Cows on Tour team gave children in Brecon a whistle-stop lesson of what farmers do in terms of looking after animals and how food is produced.
They carried out butter making activities and smoothie making, tying in the nutritional benefit of milk for the development of healthy bones.
Mrs Kathryn Elias, a teacher at the school, said: “The theme this term has been 'Small Zoo', so we have been learning about a variety of different animals and how they need to be looked after.
“We are thrilled to be a part of the 'Cows on Tour' launch as it reminds the children of the importance of farming to our lives and to our local community, whilst teaching them also about where our food comes from.”
The wooden cow for Ysgol Y Bannau primary school was donated by A C Phillips Contracting. The cows are £50 to sponsor and all proceeds raised from this initiative will go to the DPJ Foundation and farming charity RABI.
The winners of the competition will be announced at the Smallholding and Countryside Festival at the Royal Welsh Showground on 18/19 May 2019, where all the wooden cows will be displayed.
All entries must be submitted by Friday 10th May. The class who wins the competition will get one child ticket per class pupil to attend the Royal Welsh Show, with two further adult tickets for the teacher and teaching assistant of the winning class.
