City teens lag behind on farming knowledge

Australia is witnessing a growing divide between its teenagers living in urban and rural areas, especially when it comes to their knowledge of farming and food production.

Research commissioned by Rabobank shows 17 per cent of urban teenagers have never been on a farm, while 50 per cent have visited one on less than three occasions.

A total of 600 students between the ages of 15 and 18 were surveyed across major capital cities.

Nearly 20 per cent of those polled said they didn't know much about what processes food went through to get to their plate. Just under half (49 per cent) admitted to knowing very little.

Rabobank Australia and New Zealand head of Sustainable Business Development Marc Oostdijk explained how these gaps in knowledge should be of great concern.

He noted that agriculture plays an important role in the nation's economy, but there's a growing risk that young people are not recognising just how crucial it is.

"It is also important to help bridge this disconnect between city and rural communities in order to attract young people to work in agriculture and become part of securing the sector's future," commented Mr Oostdijk.

Further findings from the research show 20 per cent of young adults don't know what farmers need to do in order to grow ingredients and crops.

Those who had visited farms five times or more over the course of their lifetime were found to be considerably more knowledgeable about food production than those who hadn't had the experience.

Rabobank explained how careers in agriculture are rated lower than many other occupations among students. Just 7 per cent of those polled expressed an interest in entering the profession.

No matter what the future might hold for your operations, make sure you have a farm insurance policy in place to protect you should the worst ever happen.