News

Media Release October 18, 2004

AgriVenture and Bayer CropScience - partnering youth in agriculture

AgriVenture Australia and Bayer CropScience have formed a partnership through a unique sponsorship, which is aimed at encouraging young Australians to further their interest and careers in agriculture.

AgriVenture Australia is Australia’s leading not-for-profit youth trainee travel program, which facilitates opportunities for young Australian’s to live and work with host families on farms in 14 different countries around the world. AgriVenture is part of the International Agricultural Exchange Association (IAEA), which has operated globally for 40 years.

Bayer CropScience is a leading crop science company with responsibility for sustainable development and sustainable agriculture. Bayer CropScience Australia has become the first major sponsor of AgriVenture Australia , and will now work closely with the volunteer run organisation as part of Bayer’s commitment to encouraging youth in agriculture.

Every year, through AgriVenture Australia , 50 or more young Australians with an interest in agriculture, head off overseas on a unique experience – and one which is expected to benefit the Australian agricultural industry in the future.

AgriVenture assists young people (between 18 to 30 years old) to gain invaluable work, and life, experience by organising them to work and live on farms with host families in 14 different countries around the globe. The farm types include cropping, broadacre, livestock, aquaculture, viticulture and horticulture enterprises, with trainees spending generally between six to twelve months on the program.

As well as sending out trainees, over 100 young international young people travel to Australia to live and work with Australian AgriVenture host families on farms to further their agricultural knowledge.

Chairman of AgriVenture Australia , Mrs Lorraine Leese, a dairyfarmer from South Australia , said the new sponsorship, the first of its kind for AgriVenture anywhere in the world, and support by Bayer CropScience is very exciting and will assist in highlighting the opportunities for youth in agriculture.

Managing Director of Bayer CropScience Australia and New Zealand , Sam Howard, said Bayer is delighted to have formed a relationship with AgriVenture Australia , as it reaffirms Bayer’s commitment to youth in agriculture.

“We operate in a global market, and it is essential that our young people, who will be running the farms and agribusinesses of the future, have experience and relationships with our trading partners, and understand what is happening outside Australia .”