51AVÊÓÆµ

Rural Education Matters: Hannah Jackson - 'Getting children interested in where their food comes from will help protect the future of the industry'

The 'Red Shepherdess' voices her support for the petition to embed food, farming and sustainability education into the national curriculum

clock • 1 min read
Hannah Jackson, the 'Red Shepherdess'.
Image:

Hannah Jackson, the 'Red Shepherdess'.

It is absolutely vital that we teach our young children about growing and producing food. If we want our children to have interest and passion for agriculture then we have to make that accessible and ignite that spark when our children are young.

SIGN THE PETITION:Ìý

Role models

We cannot be what we cannot see and it is vital that all children, especially those from non-farming backgrounds, understand that this is a career they can also do. It took me until after university to realise that you did not have to be born on a farm to be a farmer – I was just lacking role models and exposure to the industry.Ìý

READ NOW: Kaleb Cooper supports petition to get farming into schools

Supporting British

Even if children do not want to particularly farm, just getting children interested in where their food comes from and the importance of supporting British will help protect the future of the industry.

LISTEN NOW:

More on Education

82,000 schoolchildren learn about farming's crucial role at Christmas

82,000 schoolchildren learn about farming's crucial role at Christmas

NFU Education has brought farming into classrooms across England and Wales with its first-ever Festive Farming Quest live lessons

clock 04 December 2025 • 2 min read
Community tractor run bids to save rural primary school from closure

Community tractor run bids to save rural primary school from closure

St Malachy's Primary School, Kilclief is at risk of closure by the Council for Catholic Maintained Schools due to 'low enrolment numbers’

clock 24 November 2025 • 2 min read
Get farming into schools: Children's futures at risk without food, farming and nature in the classroom

Get farming into schools: Children's futures at risk without food, farming and nature in the classroom

Campaigners are taking the fight for farming education to Westminster as the first cross-sector roundtable to explore how food, farming, nature and wellbeing can be embedded into education takes place

Farmers Guardian
clock 15 September 2025 • 3 min read