Agri Aware’s ‘Come Farm With Me’ webinar series welcomed over 33,000 primary school students to meet farmers virtually and explore life on the farm this academic year.

Launched in September 2024, the series is designed to connect primary school pupils with farmers from a variety of agricultural enterprises. The series kicked off in November with broccoli farmer Paul Brophy, where students tuned in for a live tour of his farm. Students had the chance to learn about how broccoli is produced followed by a Question & Answer session with Paul.

Since its launch, the series has featured six farmers, each offering students a unique insight into the daily life of their farming enterprise. The aim is to educate students about Irish agriculture, food production, and the vital role each sector plays in delivering high-quality, sustainable food. Farmers who took part included broccoli farmer Paul Brophy, beef farmer Michael McGuigan, pig farmer Christopher Brady, Agri Aware Chairman and tillage farmer Shay Galvin, dairy farmer Gearóid Maher, and sheep farmer Aoife Coyle, who wrapped up the series on Friday, 28th March.

Hosted by Agri Aware Education Officers, the webinars allowed students to see first hand what goes on day to day on farms and then ask the farmer any questions they may have.

The series offered students an exclusive behind-the-scenes look at farm life, from calving cows and putting out ewes to grass, dosing animals, picking the perfect brocolli plant and much more. Agri Aware hopes to continue the series next year, as there remains much to explore within Ireland’s diverse farming enterprises.

Commenting on the success of the first term of the ‘Come Farm With Me’ webinar series, Agri Aware Executive Director Marcus O’Halloran said: “We are delighted to see so many primary school students tuning in to our webinars. There is a significant knowledge gap between the general public and agriculture, and by introducing students to the hard work that farmers do to produce the food on their tables, we can help them appreciate the vital role farming plays in their everyday lives.”