Pupils brought virtually up to speed about beef

Rural charities are offering schools across Scotland the chance to give pupils a virtual farm tour as part of a campaign to teach children about beef production.

The Royal Highland Education Trust (RHET) and Royal Northern Countryside Initiative (RNCI) have teamed up with Quality Meat Scotland (QMS) to run the Year of Beef campaign throughout this academic year.

The campaign, launched earlier this month, aims to provide resources for schools to help them educate children about the whole beef supply chain.

More than 240 schools have signed up to take part so far, and the two charities are encouraging more to get involved by signing up to Farm Visit Week on October 4-8.

RHET and RNCI will hold a series of virtual farm visits during the week, and it is hoped Farm Visit Week will become an annual event and schools will be able to arrange in-person farm visits in 2022 and beyond.

“Our volunteers have rallied to record virtual visits to their farms and produce videos covering a variety of different farming practices,” said RHET Scottish Borders co-ordinator Lesley Mason.

RHET Fife co-ordinator Carole Brunton said the virtual tours will enable teachers and pupils from across Scotland to see inside a working farm.

She said: “It is so important to get young people back thinking about farming and food production – something they have missed out on since the beginning of the pandemic.”

NFU Scotland president Martin Kennedy encouraged farmers and crofters to spread the word about the Year of Beef.

He said: “The beef industry is not only the engine room of our rural economy, it also delivers sustainable food production of the highest quality and helps us

maintain an environment that is the envy of many across the globe.

“Please help by backing this campaign and support RHET throughout the coming year.”

Teachers interested in finding out about the campaign or signing up for a virtual farm visit can find out more information on the RHET website at www.rhet.org.uk

WHAT’S YOUR BEEF? Virtual farm visits will show pupils to see how cattle such as Aberdeen-Angus are reared in various environments.

Carole Brunton says the virtual tours will allow pupils to see inside a working farm