It's an industry-led initiative first proposed by Farming and Countryside Education (FACE) and supported by:
- Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra)
- Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF)
- Department of Health (DoH)
- Royal Agricultural Society for England (RASE)
- and a number of other organisations in the food and farming industries.
His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales will act as the Patron for the Year which will aim to involve all children and young people in all schools in England.
The initiative aims to achieve:
- improved understanding of the food chain and the role played by farming
- increased links between schools, farmers and food producers
- development of healthier lifestyles and good nutrition
- an increased interest in careers in the food & farming industries
- a greater appreciation of the importance of the countryside and environmental issues
There will be a wide variety of activities including:
- development of curriculum materials and projects on food and farming
- visits to food and farming businesses
- exchanges of staff: short-term teacher secondments or job shadowing
- activities based around food retailers and restaurant businesses
- growing activities: encouraging school kitchen gardens
- community projects
- debates on key issues
Learning Outside the Classroom Manifesto
The Year of Food and Farming will also make an important contribution to delivering the DCSF Learning Outside the Classroom Manifesto.
Year of Food and Farming Regional Steering Group
We work in partnership with industry, government departments, key regional agencies and other stakeholders to take forward the establishment of a regional Year of Food and Farming Steering Group.
The Steering Group consists of key stakeholders from the East Midlands including representatives from the food, farming, education and countryside sectors and it will steer and oversee the delivery of activity in the region.
Year of Food and Farming in Education
For information on Year of Food and Farming in Education events and activities, please contact the East Midlands Year of Food and Farming in Education co-ordinator Sally Scantlebury, sally@feastnet.net or by telephone 0115 9376812/07958 671380.
