Growing Future Farmers Southland still looking for shepherd trainers

At a Growing Future Farmers open day at Wakefield Farms in Dipton earlier this month are (from left) Growing Future Farmers Charitable Trust chairman John Jackson, pupils Sarah Andrews, Catriona Hill (both 18), Sarah Harvey (17), Taurus-Peyton Harden, Zane Flawn, Ruald Raath (all 18), Rabobank farm support national manager Jeffrey Morrison and Growing Future Farmers general manager Cyn Smith. Photo / Supplied

The search continues for Southland sheep and beef farmers to teach the next generation of shepherds.

Growing Future Farmers Southland liaison manager Amy Priest, of Lumsden, said finding farmers to take part in the two-year course had been "a little bit of a struggle".

In Southern Rural Life in June, Priest called for more southern farmers to take part in the programme, where school leavers get on-farm training to be shepherds.

An information evening for farmers interested in training students was held in Winton earlier this month, where about 25 people attended the event.

"We had a great turnout and a lot of interaction, so hopefully they will get applications in to get on board," Priest said.

Taking on a student was a huge undertaking but it allowed farmers to give back to the industry, she said.

About 70 people attended an open day about the programme on Wakefield Farms in Dipton the day after the information evening.

"It was awesome, we had a really great turnout," she said.

Most of the high school pupils were from Southland, but some were from Alexandra and Balclutha.

"There were a lot of young females who want to get into farming, which is cool," Priest said.

This year, seven students were being trained on farms in Southland.

She estimated that 13 students would be trained on Southland farms next year.

The aim was for students to be able to be trained on Otago farms in 2024.

Priest had been approaching southern high schools asking to talk to pupils about the programme.