Aberystwyth University sponsors Cows On Tour

Members of the Cows on Tour team with senior grass breeder Alan Lovatt in the grass demonstration plots in Gogerddan.

Members of the Cows on Tour team with senior grass breeder Alan Lovatt in the grass demonstration plots in Gogerddan.

12 February 2019

Aberystwyth University’s Institute of Biological, Environmental and Rural Sciences – IBERS – is main sponsor for Cows On Tour 2019.

Cows On Tour is a group of young farmers who are passionate about food and farming.

For the past 5 years the team has been taking the farm yard to the school yard, with livestock and machinery and talking about where food comes from.

With the support of Aberystwyth University’s IBERS, the Royal Welsh Agricultural Society and NFU Cymru, the Cows On Tour Roadshow will visit schools across Wales during May 2019 to talk about food and farming.

They will be in Aberystwyth on Wednesday 15 May.

Evening charity events are organised at each location to raise money for the Royal Agricultural Benevolent Institution (RABI) and DPJ Foundation whilst promoting local Welsh food.

Matthew Shervington-Jones, Cows On Tour Chair said: “We all talked in the planning stages of the tour and agreed we needed an education sector partner on board, and we knew exactly who it had to be.

“Cows on Tour is all about educating the next generation about their food and how we produce it for them. Aberystwyth University’s IBERS is a world leading institute with a keen focus on agriculture, the environment, plants and animals. They are a vital contributor to food production.

“We know they will be the perfect partnership for our Cows On Tour Roadshow.”

Dr Mike Rose, IBERS Director of Learning and Teaching, said: “The Cows On Tour team is an enthusiastic bunch of dynamic young people, proud to be a part of and committed to representing the agricultural industry in Wales, and to telling the farming story.

“Aberystwyth University's IBERS is educating and training the farmers of the future, offering a wide range of courses to prepare students for the changing landscape of farming in the UK and further afield.

“Many of our research projects support sustainable agriculture by responding to the challenges of food security, climate change and energy production in the future, and 2019 sees us celebrating 100 Years of world renowned award winning plant breeding expertise.

“We are looking forward to working with Cows On Tour.”