Over 130,000 schoolchildren have signed up to the NFU’s biggest ever harvest festival, with lessons set to highlight how food is produced and the benefits of seasonality.
Pupils across the UK will get a first-hand experience of British food production as the union takes them behind the scenes of harvest as part of its'Harvest Live' educational initiative.
With almost 1,800 primary schools taking part, the free virtual lessons will allow teachers to talk to primary schoolchildren about food production and seasonality.
The lessons will also show how farmers are using science and technology to tackle climate change, all linking in with the school curriculum through STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths).
NFU Student & Young Farmer Ambassador Hannah Buisman will explain to Key Stage 1 children what happens when crops are harvested, and they’ll get to join in making the world’s biggest combine harvester.
Carrots are on the menu for Key Stage 2, with a lesson that will take students through how farmers are using climate change fighting technology and science to grow, process and pack them.
NFU President Minette Batters said it was 'fantastic' to see a large number of schools and children with a keen appetite to learn more about where their food came from.
She said the lessons could inspire pupils to think about a career in food and farming in the future.
“Being able to show in the classroom how innovative, diverse and exciting an industry agriculture is in such a practical way gives students an amazing insight."
Harvest Live takes place on Thursday and Friday (29 and 30 September). Techers and schools can find out more and sign up online to take part.
