Nominations are now open for the revamped Bayer-LEAF Education Awards which seek to reward those who get young people excited about farming.
Refreshed with a new name, look and feel, the awards celebrate all the great work that farmers and those involved in agriculture do to inspire young people about farming, what it delivers and why it matters.
Nominations will close on March 21, 2019, with the category winners being announced in November.
Carl Edwards, director of education and public engagement at LEAF (Linking Environment And Farming) said: “Connecting future generations with farming, how their food is produced and where it comes from is vital – both to the future of the agricultural industry and for their own health and wellbeing.
“We know that providing young people with meaningful learning experiences either on-farm, in the classroom or online can also help to nurture a lifelong interest in the natural world and an awareness of their role in helping to protect it.
We are delighted to be working together with Bayer to shine a spotlight on inspirational people and the projects which are reaching out to young people in new and creative ways to ignite their interest in farming and the countryside.
“We want people to send in their nominations and tell us about those people and projects that go the extra mile to share their passion for food and farming so we can give them the recognition they deserve.”
Alice Turnbull, communications and Government affairs specialist at Bayer, added: “At a time when there is so much uncertainty about prospects for UK agriculture post-Brexit, these awards are an excellent way of highlighting farmers and individuals who go to considerable efforts to communicate about modern farming.
“It is important for everyone to understand where their food comes from and how it is produced, and the role that science and technology plays in farming today in feeding a growing population sustainably.
“The Bayer-LEAF Education Awards are certainly one of our highlights, through them, we are able to inspire and mobilise champions of food and farming education so that future generations grow up knowing more about farming and its relevance to their everyday lives.”
Categories
The four Award categories are:
- Innovation Learning Award recognises a farm demonstrating innovative work with schools encouraging an understanding of and interest in current farming practices.
- Primary School Partnership Award for a farm building successful relationships with primary schools (5 to 11-year-olds) making a valuable and sustained contribution to school life both on and away from the farm.
- Secondary School Partnership Award for a farm building successful relationships with one or more secondary schools (11 to 18-year-olds) that is engaging young people with food and farming in new and creative ways and that is making a valuable and sustained contribution to school life both on and away from the farm.
- Young Inspirational Communicator Award is brand new this year and recognises an individual (between the ages of 18-35) that engages with young people to open their eyes to the world of farming, what it delivers, and why it matters using digital tools to do so.
The final award, which will be chosen through a public vote, will seek out an outstanding individual who is making a difference to how young people view farming and its role in their everyday lives through innovative digital methods.
Organisers will be looking for exciting and innovative projects that are addressing a particular educational challenge, or knowledge gap.
Nominations are now open for the 2019 Bayer-LEAF Education Awards. Completed nomination forms should be returned by March 21, 2019 to: [email protected]. All category winners will be announced in November 2019.
