Q. What is Growing Future Farmers?
Growing Future Farmers is a nationwide two-year practical on-farm programme for school leavers that have a keen interest in a career in the sheep and beef industry.
The fees-free programme consists of entry-level essential farm skills through to advanced farm skills and agribusiness management. The students live on farm and work alongside the farm trainer and their existing team four days a week, with fully furnished accommodation provided, as well as power, meat for evening meals and unlimited internet, as well as the opportunity to train up their own heading and huntaway pup with weekly sponsorship payments. Over the two years each student gains NZQA qualifications in primary industries, land-based sustainability practices, pre-employment skills and a certificate in agriculture.
Q. Where and when are your open days this year?
Our South Island open days are later this month, Southland is first at Wakefield Farm near Dipton on July 25, at Josh Adams’ property at Henley on July 26, at Awakino Station near Kurow on July 27 and at Raumati Station at Scargill in North Canterbury on July 28.
Q. Is this the first year you are holding an open day in Otago?
We are excited to have had quite a bit of interest from keen farmers in the Otago region that are keen to support and teach students, one of which is hosting the first Otago open day, so we are trying to create the opportunity for Otago students to see and hear what the programme is all about.
Q. Who are invited to attend the open days?
Any students that have a passion for agriculture and are interested in a hands-on practical programme that will support them with the skills and knowledge for a career in the sheep and beef industry.
Q. What are the farmer trainer evenings all about?
The farm trainer information sessions are for new farm trainers as well as those that are interested to find out more about the programme, as well as the existing ones to give their feedback and hear from Growing Future Farmers’ recently appointed chief executive Wendy Paul. The Southland, Kurow and North Canterbury farm trainer information sessions will be directly after the open day from 1pm on their respective dates and the Otago one is being held in Beaumont between 6pm and 8pm on July 25.
Q. How many farmer trainers do you have in the South and how many would you like to have?
We currently have eight farm trainers in Southland and six in and around Kurow. We would like to build up each region with great students learning on awesome farms.
Q. What have the job prospects been like for students who have graduated in the South?
The majority of those students that have graduated from the Southland and Kurow regions have gone on to stay locally in shepherding roles on other farms in the area, which is awesome for the sheep and beef industry.
Q. Where are you from?
I grew up on a sheep and beef farm in the Pourakino Valley in Western Southland, but now in an equity partnership on a sheep, beef and deer farm near Lumsden with my husband and two children.
