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Betting the farm on combating militants

Jenne BrammerCountryman
Kids to Farms steering committee chair and Pingelly farmer John Hassell and Kids to Farms executive officer Aaron Natoli with Jesse Whittington, 13, of Nedlands.
Camera IconKids to Farms steering committee chair and Pingelly farmer John Hassell and Kids to Farms executive officer Aaron Natoli with Jesse Whittington, 13, of Nedlands. Credit: Trevor Whittington

A new plan to counter militant vegan activism could lead thousands of Perth children to step out of the classroom and into the farmyard.

The three-year pilot program to teach city kids about farming is being shaped for Perth students in years 5 and 6, by advocacy group WAFarmers, after receiving $750,000 as part of the Federal Government’s $5 million Kids to Farms initiative.

It follows Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack’s pre-election commitment last year to educate students on food production.

At the time they said it would help counteract “extremists hell-bent on shutting down agriculture”.

WAFarmers chief executive Trevor Whittington said the program, which has support from the WA Education Department, would eventually involve primary school visits to farms to learn about agriculture.

But to start with the farm will be brought to the classroom through digital learning experiences. As well as teaching children how food is produced, the program in Perth will showcase agriculture as an exciting and viable career option, and will be offered to private and public schools, starting later this year.

“Ultimately it will be up to the individual schools whether they wish to participate. They would need to commit time to the program, including follow up learning to on-farm excursions,” Mr Whittington said.

In a letter supporting WAFarmers’ grant application, WA Department of Education deputy director general, schools, Stephen Baxter said his department was pleased to support the “innovative education program.”

“We understand that our students may have perceptions of the agricultural and food industries that are not necessarily contemporary nor informed, particularly with regards to the variety of career opportunities available to them,” he said.

“We are keen to address these misunderstandings and ensure our students get to see first hand the modern, efficient, sustainable food industries that are exporting WA produce to the world and supporting our economy.”

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