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The National Competition in Food, Farming and Natural Environment
The National Competition, started in 2018, aims to engage and inspire future generations about food production, the natural environment and highlight the many career opportunities available in the land-based sector. See how your school (Years 9 to 11) can enter this year's competition.
The National Food, Farming and Natural Environment competition 2023
The competition, now in its fifth year, aims to engage and inspire students from Year 9 - 11 about farming, food production and the environment, alongside highlighting the many career opportunities available in the land-based sector. Secondary schools from across the UK are encouraged to enter the competition.
Entries for the 2023 Competition have now closed, and the finalists weekend will take place on 7th-9th July 2023.
You can read more about the format of the competition below.
What's involved in the weekend prize?
The finalists’ weekend, which will be made up of fun and educational activities based around the college farm, will take place at Reaseheath College one of the UK’s leading specialist land-based colleges based in Nantwich, Cheshire. They have been offering land based education for over 100 years and offer a range of full-time T levels, diplomas, apprenticeships and degrees, ideal for those looking for an exciting career in the land-based industries.
Reaseheath has some of the best specialist facilities and resources in the country, thanks to a continuing £80 million investment across campus. This includes an Advanced Engineering and Agri-Tech Centre, Sports Sciences and Performance Academy, National Centre for Horticulture, the Environment and Sustainable Technology, Food Centre, halls of residence and currently developing an Institute of Technology for Precision Agriculture, Agricultural Engineering and Food innovation.
The college has a large commercial farming estate of over 300 Ha of farmland, amenity land, woodland, hedgerows and ornamental lakes and ponds, and supports a 200 pedigree dairy cow operation milked through a 32:32 rapid exit parlour and 2 state of the art Lely robots, a 400 highlander sheep flock, grassland and arable cropping enterprises, high tech greenhouses and vertical farm and a grade AAA accredited food centre with on site dairy processing, bakery, patisserie and butchery. The college boasts the facilities that supports it’s field to fork initiative showcasing the full food supply chain.
You and your students will cover a range of educational topics, focused around the competition title and you will compete in answering an hypothesis over the weekend - the winning school team will be crowned the 'National Winner 2023’
Impact of the competition
First launched in 2018, the competition has had a significant impact in opening young minds to what farming delivers as well as issues around health, wellbeing, sustainability, climate change and career opportunities. Over one-third of students who took part in the competition, have since gone on to apply to study at land-based colleges, with all students reporting that it had changed their perception of the farming industry and helped them with their studies back at school.
The National Competition is delivered by the following partners:
