Farm trip gives students food for thought

With most of us living in towns and cities and industrial farming becoming more prevalent, the idyllic, pastoral landscape, often a favourite subject of Romantic artists, is becoming less a part of our common experience. Despite almost 75% of land in the UK still taken up by agriculture, farm life is a foreign concept to most of us no matter how many episodes of Countryfile we’ve seen. However, with food scares such as the horse meat scandal, greater emphasis has been placed on the importance of knowing where our food comes from. Students on the Food Development and Nutrition course at LJMU are gaining first-hand experience in the workings of a farm and learning about organic agriculture by visiting the Rhug Estate in North Wales.

The two farms on the Rhug Estate rear organic Aberdeen Angus Beef, Welsh Lamb, Welsh Salt Marsh Lamb, chicken, geese and turkeys. Students learn about the farm’s self-sufficiency producing organic arable crops and herbs to ensure the livestock have a healthy and balanced diet without artificial supplements and medicines. Pesticide and chemical free, the farm manages crop and livestock rotation to prevent disease and toxins in the soil and animals.

Students take part in a range of activities to introduce the field-to-fork concept of the farm. They are given the opportunity to engage with farm managers, gamekeepers, butchers and food retailers. An eye-opening experience, the field trip helps them to appreciate the importance of food sustainability and the relationship between food and the land.

The food industry employs 3.7 million people and contributes close to £90 billion to the UK economy. With demand for qualified individuals on the increase in this sector, why not find out what career options are available to graduates of the Nutrition course?