A new campaign is urging the government to ensure that British food and farming are fairly and accurately represented in the school curriculum.
The campaign, launched by the NFU, follows the government’s announcement last summer of a long-overdue review of the national curriculum.
This review is intended to examine how education can better prepare young people for real-world challenges and equip them with the skills to thrive.
The NFU says it sees this as an opportunity to embed a more accurate understanding of agriculture, sustainability, and food systems into classroom learning.
The organisation believes that British farming’s contribution to food security, environmental stewardship and career opportunities must be better represented in schools.
According to the NFU: “As the government looks at changes that will shape a generation, they are pressing for an accurate, fair representation of the many benefits that British food and farming has to offer, something that hasn’t always been the case.”
Its campaign sets out two central asks: To improve the quality of food education in schools and to undertake an urgent review of the GCSE Biology subject content relating to farming and food security.
The union is also calling on the public to support the campaign's petition, helping amplify the message to decision-makers in Westminster.
“Your support will help ensure that British food and farming is represented fairly and accurately across the education system, by calling for the government to update the school curriculum," the NFU says.
The organisation argues that this curriculum change could deliver tangible benefits for farming businesses now and into the future.
By educating students on the value of locally sourced food and farmers' high standards, the next generation of consumers will be empowered to make informed, health-conscious and environmentally responsible choices.
The NFU says: “British farms will see economic benefits in the short-term as young people encourage their parents to buy British, and in the long-term, when children develop and make the conscious decision to buy British throughout their adult lives.”
Furthermore, it believes that raising awareness about agriculture in schools could help address a looming skills gap in the sector.
“Being aware that these jobs actually exist is the first step towards young people wanting to seek out a career in the industry," the NFU adds.
"Ensuring that children are equipped with the skills necessary to pursue these careers is the key to guaranteeing that we have enough people wanting to join the industry.”
The union has also voiced concern about how farming is portrayed in science education. It points out that most students take science at GCSE, yet the current curriculum presents outdated views of agriculture.
“The GCSE Biology content currently refers to outdated farming practices that do not reflect the work that British farmers do, both for our food security and the environment," the NFU says.
The union also argues that the curriculum fails to reflect the UK’s world-leading animal welfare and environmental standards when compared with other global producers.
“The current content does not successfully compare global farming practices and food standards with the high food standards and positive practices adopted by British farmers and growers.”
