Agribusiness in Schools adviser Melanie Simmons, of Hamilton, said agribusiness was a subject taught to years 12 and 13 pupils at more than 110 high schools in New Zealand.
Some agribusiness teachers were postponing their retirement due to concerns the school would have to drop the subject when they left, leaving a gap for the scores of pupils wanting to learn the subject.
"It is a subject the teacher and pupils are passionate about."
There was a need for 10 agribusiness teachers in New Zealand, she said.
A dozen schools taught agribusiness in Southland.
In Otago, there were 13 agribusiness teachers.
Teaching of the subject in school was important because some pupils who were were unaware about the industry could hold a negative perception about it.
Learning about the industry would help pupils make informed decisions as consumers.
"The industry often gets lambasted for all the world’s woes."
An agribusiness teacher could use real-world scenarios to showcase a "dynamic" industry.
She had been in the role for five years, encouraging schools to teach agribusiness and supporting them to deliver study programmes, covering any or all of primary industries including agriculture, aquaculture, dairy manufacturing, equine, forestry, horticulture, seafood and sports turf.
The school subject focuses on primary sector companies across the value chain including manufacture, production operations, storage, processing, distribution of product and supplies, marketing of primary products and items made from them, along with support industries such as fertiliser companies, veterinarians, rural consultants and accountants.
The Ministry of Education had deemed agribusiness to be a subject of national significance, Miss Simmons said.
To become an agribusiness teacher, they must have a degree and do a one-year Graduate Diploma of Teaching.
Funding was available to help people retrain, she said.
Earlier this month, Miss Simmons visited agribusiness teachers in the South and made stops at the University of Otago College of Education in Dunedin to tell students about agribusiness being a subject in schools.
She also talked to members of the Food & Agriculture Student Association in Dunedin.
By spreading the word to students, she hoped it could one day have them considering a career as an agribusiness teacher.
Partners funding the Agribusiness in Schools initiative were Agmardt, Beef + Lamb New Zealand, DairyNZ, Fairview, Gallagher, the Meat Industry Association, the ministry, the New Zealand Fieldays Society, New Zealand Kiwifruit Growers Inc, Rabobank and St Paul’s Collegiate School.
"It’s a true collaboration between industry and educators."
