Farmer Time connects classrooms and farms to grow future food leaders

Farmer Time aims to engage, inspire, and educate young people about the journey of food from farms to the dinner table. Photo / Diane Alexander

Marie Burke, a Gisborne sheep, cattle and cropping farmer, is the national co-ordinator of Farmer Time for Schools, a free, virtual field trip programme supported by Beef + Lamb New Zealand.

The programme originated in Britain and was introduced to New Zealand during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Now six countries around the world run this programme in schools.

Designed for Years 0–8, the initiative connects primary and intermediate students with real farmers via online sessions.

The goal is to engage, inspire, and educate young people about the journey of food from farms to the dinner table, especially those living in urban areas who may have limited exposure to farming.

By bringing agriculture into classrooms, Farmer Time helps students understand where their food comes from and builds a stronger connection with New Zealand’s diverse and evolving agricultural sector.

It is also an opportunity for farmers to show students their involvement with animal welfare, land restoration, and protecting waterways.

About 50 farming families are matched to schools at present, with the fortnightly sessions running for 15-20 minutes.

A farmer is paired with a class and, with the teacher, decides when online calls will be scheduled.

Student questions are emailed, and calls involve showing examples of farming in action and answering these questions.

Between calls, farming families often produce short videos about their work and daily life.

After viewing these videos, students develop thoughtful questions to ask in the next call, and so the process goes on.

“My aim is to connect North Island farmers with South Island schools and vice versa,” Burke said.

“In doing this, students get to learn about other parts of New Zealand and see how climate and geography influence how food is produced.

“I have a range of farmers involved, including beef, sheep, and dairy farmers, as well as grain, citrus, and vegetable growers.

“One class is matched with a family who milk goats for infant formula”.

Children at Mosston School connect with Southland farmer Sarah Dooley through the Farmer Time for Schools programme. Photo / Diane Alexander

Burke said the programme was more than learning about farming.

“It also covers health, technology, sustainability, life cycles and market dynamics, as well as teaching critical thinking and problem solving.

“Farmer Time learning can be linked to all eight curriculum areas from maths to English and science.”

Burke supported recent moves to ensure that agriculture and horticulture science and agribusiness remained as academic subjects at Year 12 and 13 levels.

She believed an academic pathway from Years 0-13 must now be developed.

Gisborne sheep, cattle and cropping farmer Marie Burke is also the national co-ordinator of Farmer Time for Schools. Photo / Diana Dobson

“The lack of primary industry content in the curriculum at primary and intermediate level is a real concern and is a key reason why programmes like Farmer Time for Schools have an uphill battle to get traction, even though those who take part see and appreciate the value in what we are doing,” she said.

“My teachers tell me it’s difficult to teach students about farming these days because it’s no longer a focus in their curriculum”.

Burke’s ultimate goal is to get key primary industry organisations on board and present a united case to the Ministries of Primary Industries and Education to bring this content into all schools.

“When it comes to participating farmers, 84% of them felt Farmer Time for Schools should be supported by MPI, with 89% of teachers agreeing the MOE should also support the programme,” she said.

“With only 13% of the population living in rural areas now, and more than half the country’s farm owners set to retire in the next decade, the education sector is needed more than ever to help grow the next generation of primary producers.

“Without the income this country derives from primary industry exports, there would be less money for education; therefore, the sectors need each other to survive”.

If you are a teacher or farmer and want to be involved in 2026, visit the Farmer Time New Zealand website.