Town and country connections fewer

How many people's working days involve as great a mix of activity as those of us who work in the rural sector?

Whether you are a farmer, transport operator, consultant or field rep, your typical day generally includes healthy stretches of physical work outdoors, time at the desk and plenty of social interaction.

So, as I drive a mob of sheep up the road on a sunny day or read about exciting advances in agricultural technology, I often wonder why the sector does not attract more school-leavers.

The question struck me again recently, as I attended the launch of the 2012 National Bank Young Farmer Contest in Dunedin.

The energy, intelligence and potential in the room was exciting.

I wondered to myself how we could bottle this enthusiasm and release it in a room full of school-leavers.

The town-country connections of previous generations are fewer than ever before: Gone are the days of "holidays on the grandparents' or uncle's farm" for most town children.

That is a shame for both the children and the industry, as the experience attracted many a youngster towards agriculture.

I am sure this missing link has contributed towards the decreasing number of students opting for a career in our sector during the past 20 years.

To that end, Beef + Lamb New Zealand (B+LNZ) is supporting Federated Farmers' "Farm Day" on March 18. This nationwide event gives urban people a chance to see what goes on behind the farm gate.

It is not all downward trajectories with regard to young people and agriculture. With more than 90 clubs around the country, New Zealand Young Farmers (NZYF) is thriving.

And it is not just the rural under-30s who get involved. As the NZYF website says: "You don't need to be a farmer to join Young Farmers. A love of the land coupled with a willingness to participate and be an active member of your community is all you need." You will make great friends, find your social calendar nicely vandalised with all sorts of events, and establish a network that will prove invaluable as you progress in your career - all while extending your knowledge in a field which is still this country's backbone.

B+LNZ is doing its part. Together with NZYF and DairyNZ, it is involved in the Get Ahead programme, which promotes careers in agriculture to New Zealand secondary school pupils through hands-on experience days, mentoring and TeenAg clubs (essentially "young farmers clubs" for secondary school pupils).

Through its "people" programme (one of the five key strategic programmes of activity), B+LNZ provides more than 20 scholarships for students at Lincoln and Massey Universities and Taratahi Agricultural Centre.

B+LNZ and NZYF are also on the steering committee for the Primary Industry Capability Alliance (PICA), an initiative to grow capacity and capability of the primary sector by connecting and developing people.

If I had my time again, I would still choose to work in the agricultural sector. I appreciate that farm ownership is not accessible to all, but hands-on farming is just one of the many wonderful opportunities available in agriculture.

Given the comparatively low numbers of school-leavers enrolling for agricultural-based degrees and diplomas, the laws of supply and demand would suggest there's never been a better time for young people to enter the sector.

 
- Anne Munro is Beef and Lamb New Zealand central South Island director. She can be contacted on (03) 685-5772 or munropa@farmside.co.nz