The dairy farmers association has expanded its successful Farmer Targets for Change program into local high schools and Wingham High was the first to take part.

Teachers have been trained to use a farm mapping software program and they will, in turn, pass this on to geography and agriculture students so they can map fences and other infrastructure, make decisions on the position of temporary fencing and plan stock rotations.

Science and Agriculture teacher John Hawkins said the school is enthusiastic about the program.

“We now have an accurate measure of paddock sizes and fence lines and are therefore able to manage our school farm in a more sustainable way,” Mr Hawkins said.

“Farmer Targets for Change has added a new dimension to our teaching of Agriculture and Geography at Wingham High School.”

A mentor, Roslyn Deal, has been engaged by DAGs to work with teachers and students to guide the development and implementation of the project.

The Hunter-Central Rivers Catchment Management Authority (CMA) has provided major funding.

Wingham High has also benefited from MidCoast Water’s support with the authority contributing to the purchase of a laptop computer for the school to run the FarmKeeper software program, funded by LJ Hooker, Wingham.

Teachers were trained to use the program by Nick Bullock who donated his time.

Aerial imagery of the farm, also supplied by MidCoast Water, will allow students to track paddock use and developments.

Land management is an elective for HSC Agriculture students and the implementation of the mapping software will enable them to develop their planning skills to a higher level.

The FarmKeeper software will also be used for administration and recordkeeping and by year 12 Geography students in their HSC studies.

Expanding the Farmer Targets for Change program into schools is a means of reaching more farming families and engaging them in natural resource management.

Source: Dairy Doings, the Mid Coast Dairy Advancement Group newsletter.