Shropshire Star

Shropshire university boosted by interest in farming

A new generation of farmers are coming through the system – thanks to a greater awareness of agriculture and the popularity of farmers markets.

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The trend is helping universities like Shropshire's Harper Adams, which are expanding courses to help meet demand.

Experts say teenagers taking courses in land-based subjects such as agriculture and horticulture is rising.

The popularity of farmers' markets combined with concerns over food security are fuelling a surge in the number of school leavers taking agriculture courses. Large numbers of 16 to 18-year-olds are flocking to take qualifications in subjects such as horticulture, agriculture, floristry, food and gamekeeping despite having no background in farming.

Harper Adams University, based in Edgmond near Newport, recently announced three new BSc (Hons) degree courses – food business innovation and entrepreneurship, food technology and product development, and food and public health nutrition.

It has also launched a new masters course in food sustainability and management. It is hoped the new courses will be available from September 2015 and join the two existing food degree courses which are being re-launched as food production and marketing, and food technology with nutrition for the next academic year.

Jeanette Dawson, principal of Bishop Burton College near Hull, one of the country's top land-based colleges, said women were also taking up courses at an increasing rate.

She said the boom could be attributed to the "traceability agenda" following a series of food scandals, such as the discovery of horsemeat in frozen meals stocked by major supermarkets.

But the movement was also fuelled by an increased awareness of the importance of local food and produce, with events such as farmers' markets seen as increasingly popular, even among young people, she said. Figures show almost 54,500 under-19s took agriculture, horticulture and animal care qualifications in 2012/13.

It was up by almost two-thirds in just seven years from 33,000 in 2005/6. The number of students taking BTECs in "land based subjects" has soared by a quarter in the last 12 months alone – from 5,138 to 6,482, it emerged.

The disciplines are also increasingly popular at university-level, with 6,500 students taking veterinary science, agriculture and related subjects in 2013 – up from 5,000 six years earlier.

Mrs Dawson said there had been a "growth in the number of young people accessing agriculture programmes with a view to a career in the industry who aren't from farming backgrounds".

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