More successful regions have receive local show funding to help promote agriculture through young farmer challenges
It is often argued that isolation is one of the main factors that dissuades younger generations from taking on farming as an occupation.
Now something is being done about that situation through the Young Farmer Challenges.
It is all designed to unite youth through local shows where they can form a posse to take on challenges and interact with others in the same situation.
And it’s working, building up friendships and an understanding that isolation doesn’t mean you can’t have solid interaction with your peers.
A further 13 regional shows have been successful in their applications to receive funding to help promote agriculture through young farmer challenges.
The latest Shows to get the nod are located in the South Coast, Southern Highlands, Tenterfield, Hunter Valley, Kempsey, Taree, Bellinger River of NSW.
In addition Gatton and Emerald in QLD have also come through, while Mundulla and Parndana in SA, and Melbourne and Perth have grants to run young farmer challenges as well.
These 13 agricultural shows and related youth groups have received the grant funding through the new Australian Young Farmer Challenge (AYFC) Regional Grant Program.
The grant program helps up to 580 agricultural shows invest in the spectacle of a ‘young farmer challenge’ which is a showcase of young people in Australian agriculture competing in diverse and colourful challenges testing skill, technique, knowledge and safety practices.
Young farmer challenges can involve changing tyres, driving tractors, handling alpacas, identifying cattle breeds, putting out fires, torniqueing faux snakes bites, erecting fences and myriad other farming tasks in teams, against the clock and in front of a crowd.
Agricultural Shows Australia executive officer Katie Stanley said the Australian Young Farmer Challenge Regional Grant Program required successful recipients to outline their plans for a sustainable competition in their local area or across their state.
“These competitions allow young rural people to take centre stage with their mates in front of the crowds at agricultural shows, while demonstrating the diverse skills needed to be a modern farmer.
“Shows use this competition to entertain crowds whilst being an educational showcase of young people in agriculture,” she said.
Ms Stanley said the grants are supporting the costs of organising and running competitions at a local, regional and state level across Australia.
The 2020/21 grant program awarded over $75,000 in sponsorship impacting over 40 competitions at different shows over the next 18months.
“These competitions provide entertainment and crowd engagement as well education for the broader community about agriculture, food and more specifically, the role of farmers and farm safety.”
“The purpose of the program is to support the sharing of knowledge, encourage community initiatives and promote community leadership,” she said.
The successful applicants listed here have received funding for a range of projects including challenge equipment and trailers to facilitate equipment sharing.
- The Ag Group South Coast & Tablelands including shows in Albion Park, Berry, Bowral, Bulli, Camden, Dapto, Kangaroo Valley, Kiama, Milton, Moss Vale, Nowra, Picton and Robertson in NSW
- Tenterfield Show Society in New South Wales
- Agricultural Societies Council of NSW – Group 3 which includes shows in Bulahdelah, Gosford, Cessnock, Dungog, Gresford, Maitland, Merriwa, Morisset Lake Macquarie, Newcastle, Singleton, Stroud, Upper Hunter and Wyong Shire in New South Wales
- Kempsey Show Society in New South Wales
- Taree Show Society in New South Wales
- Bellinger River Agricultural Show Society in New South Wales
- Gatton Show Society in Queensland
- Emerald Show Society in Queensland
- The South Australian Agricultural Shows Next Generation Group
- Mundulla Show in South Australia
- Parndana Show in South Australia
- The Royal Agricultural Society of Victoria
- The Royal Agricultural Society of Western Australia’s next generation group
“We encourage all those interested in participating in any of these young farmer challenges, or shows planning on hosting a competition to reach out to their state ag show body or Agricultural Shows Australia,” Ms Stanley concluded.
The project is jointly funded by Agricultural Shows Australia and the Australian Government Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment’s Building Landcare Community and Capacity component of the National Landcare Program.
To find your local Challenge, see: https://agshowsaustralia.org.au/
