Showing students the ‘cool’ things going on in agriculture will help get the next generation of farmers into the agriculture industry, according to central west NSW farmer Katrina Swift.
Mrs Swift took time off from her more than 3300 hectares to do a presentation for 60 kindergarten students at Parkes Public School.
“I want to show students, at such an impressionable age, that agriculture is cool and exciting,” Mrs Swift said.
“These kids are always being asked ‘what do you want to be when you grow up?’ making it ideal to put agriculture at the forefront of their minds.
“If we can get them interested in agriculture, they are put on the path to become our next generation of farmers and agronomists,” she said.
Katrina farms properties at Tichborne, Nelungaloo and Eugowra with her husband Mark, brother Bruce Watson and wife Karina, and parents, Jim and Janelle Watson.
Their team is rounded out by two very valuable employees, Dave Nyman who is a mechanic, and farmer Bianca Roots.
They grow a variety of broadacre crops including wheat, barley, canola, chickpeas and many others, as well as summer crops of sorghum, mung beans and they gave cotton a try last summer.
The Swifts have two children – two-year-old Henry and six-year-old Peggy – which is how Katrina came to do her presentation.
“Peggy’s year were doing a unit at school on farming and where our food comes from,” Mrs Swift said.
“I thought it would be an opportunity to show them the exciting stuff in agriculture while breaking down stereotypes.
“A student may grow up to want to be an aeronautical engineer and may think they have to go into a different industry.
“I want them to know there is room for them in agriculture.
“Kids of this age may never drive a tractor with autonomous vehicles increasingly being embraced, but should learn about remote controlled cars and coding as this will be critical for ag in the future.”
“Hopefully these kids will be our next generation of farmers.”
