FOOD for our Future was the theme for the successful biennial Ag Teachers Association of SA conference held in Mount Gambier recently.
Conference co-organiser and Allendale East Area School's Danielle Westbrook said agriculture teachers were well aware of their important role to educate their students about the future global demands for food and fibre production.
Based on forecast population growth more young people needed to be enticed to pursue careers in agriculture.
"Everyone teaching agriculture loves the industry and their passion rubs off on the kids," she said.
"About half of my students will probably go on to do something connected to agriculture, like agronomy or being an AI technician.
"But it is also about showing links to the industry in other jobs - they might be an engineer but be building a dairy which is not so obviously about agriculture."
Ms Westbrook said there were still limited resources available to ag teachers so it was important to share ideas with other teachers and hear about new tools available for the classroom.
The Primary Industries Education Foundation shared the latest tools in a Food and Fibre Curriculum Workshop including SA based farming character George the Farmer.
Louise FitzRoy highlighted the core values of her From Paddock to Plate program which educates people about food, encourages healthy eating and inspires careers in agriculture.
During the two-day program the 45 secondary school ag teachers saw the diversity of agriculture in the SE visiting hydroponically grown herb business Holla Fresh,Tantanoola; Henningsen's Robotic Dairy, Mingbool, Kalangadoo Organic Apple Farm, and Terry Buckley's potato and sheep property, Mingbool.
They also heard from key note speakers Myora Piggery's Jeff Braun and Teys Australia Naracoorte livestock manager David Woolard.
"We found farmers that were at the top of the class and innovators within their industry and really looking to the future," Ms Westbrook said.
