Farming education charity takes livestock project nationwide

A Norfolk agricultural education charity will expand its hands-on livestock learning scheme nationwide next year, aiming to give schools across the country practical experience of food and farming.

The Food & Farming Discovery Trust (FFDT), founded in 2017 as a sister charity to the Royal Norfolk Agricultural Association (RNAA), has announced plans to take its Learn About Livestock week to a national audience.

Supported by NFU Education and the Royal Agricultural Society of England, the trust intends to share its resources so that other organisations can run their own versions of the scheme.

See also: Norfolk schools host ewes for hands-on farming experience

The initiative, now in its fifth year, has proved highly popular in Norfolk.

More than 14,000 students have taken part, with up to 20 schools each year hosting a ewe and her lambs for a week.

Delivered in partnership with the Rare Breeds Survival Trust, the RNAA and the Three Rivers & Chapelfield Farm Vets Partnership, the project offers practical lessons in animal husbandry for early years to sixth form pupils, including those with special educational needs.

Trust manager Frances Roberson said: “It is essential for children to understand the connections between farming, livestock, and the food they consume, and this hands-on experience facilitates that understanding.

“We consistently receive positive feedback from participating schools and eagerly anticipate extending this enriching experience to more institutions throughout other regions, making sure that children across the country can all have the same opportunities.”

The trust has produced an information pack for organisations wishing to take part. Any agricultural-supporting group can host a week, and guidance is available directly from the FFDT.

The next Learn About Livestock Week runs from 16-20 March 2026.