13 August 2012
DAFF12/365LSJ
Senator the Hon. Joe Ludwig, Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry
The Hon. Sid Sidebottom MP, Parliamentary Secretary for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry
The Australian Government continues to invest in the future of agriculture, with a commitment of $100,000 for the Primary Industries Partnerships for Schools project.
Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, Senator Joe Ludwig, and Parliamentary Secretary for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, Sid Sidebottom, made the announcement.
“This funding is a testament to the Government’s ongoing support of strategic partnerships to bolster our primary industries,” Minister Ludwig said.
“The Primary Industries Partnerships for Schools project will build ties between schools and industry, opening up a wide range of career opportunities in this ever-changing sector.”
The project will be delivered by the Primary Industries Education Foundation (PIEF). It includes a two-day forum and the development of a toolkit to help schools learn how to implement effective partnership models and foster relationships with local agribusinesses.
The school-industry partnerships project will look to successful programs such as the award-winning Dynamic Agriculture program conducted by Tyrrell College, Victoria. Their Dynamic Agriculture program developed partnerships with local agribusinesses and encouraged careers in agriculture.
“Bright young people interested and engaged in the industry will only become more important as older generations move through and we become more reliant on science and technology to address growing demands on the sector like increased food production,” Mr Sidebottom said.
The Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, in partnership with PIEF and the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations, will identify schools across regional Australia to attend the forum and participate in a pilot of the toolkit.
For more information about the government’s support for the agricultural sector, visit www.daff.gov.au.
