Welcome to the 2012 Australian Year of the Farmer read more...

2012 the Careers in Agriculture Expo will be joining forces with the ‘Schools Day’ Program for the first time. Date: Thursday 5th April - 2012 Sydney Royal Easter Show, Sydney Showground, Sydney Olympic Park read more... *NEW*

Southern All breeds Youth Heifer Show at Harden Showground from 9 to 11 March 2012. Entries close Friday 10 February 2012 read more...*NEW*

Tamworth Careers Expo - 16th May 2012 read more... *NEW*

Agricultural and Environmental Science Teachers Professional Development Conference Thursday 1 March to Sunday 4 March 2012 at UNE Armidale. Closing date Monday 20 February 2012 read more... *NEW*

National Agricultural Educators Association Conference: was held in South Australia from the 8th to the 12th of January 2012. The theme was “Feeding the Future”. read more...

2012 Royal Adelaide Show Merino Wethers Competition. Closing date July 20 read more...

The Innovation Challenge was announced on 10 December and it has interesting finalists in the Agriculture & Food section read more…

The Schools Recycle Right Challenge offers a wide range of recycling-themed activities, lesson plans and events ideas that have been developed specifically for Australian schools. New in 2011! read more...

Many farm chemicals can be hazardous to human and ecosystem health, making responsible disposal of unwanted chemicals a top priority read more...  

HSC Agriculture 2011 Survey read more...

Egg laying Competition for Schools at the Sydney Royal Easter Show 2012 read more... (pdf)

Check your local weather forcast for the next 7 days read more...

Proposed changes to the Primary Industries Syllabus and the NSWAAT response. read more...

PIEF Newsletter August 2011 The latest quarterly newsletter from the PIEF in pdf format. (About the PIEF)

Moving the fence posts: learning preferences of part-time agricultural students - Alan Woods: National Centre for Vocational Education Research read more...

The latest LandLearn NSW Schools Newsletter is available to download at the LandLearn NSW website...

Multiple choice questions for HSC agriculture half yearly examinations.

Go4Grains kids' design challenge - Stage 4 Technology (Mandatory) (more information in BAAT Summer Bulletin No.37) read more... *Details for teachers update - read more...

Professional Development Conferences for Agriculture Teachers read more...

VET study in agriculture Agricultural courses available for school leavers.

If you are interested in what is going on with the Primary Industries Education Foundation have a look at their Spring Newsletter read more...

The Primary Industry Centre for Science Education (PICSE) Network is also available online here

Conference news: "NSW Agriculture Teachers Touched by Cotton" - The Primary Industry Centre for Science Education - PICSE Network Edition 19 * November 2010

The NSW Farmers' Association believes that sustainable food and fibre production should become a fourth (ACAR) cross-curriculum perspective. "Educating our children about food & fibre production" brochure. (For Agriculture teacher discussion, go to nswaat.ning.com and click on the FORUM link)

For older NEWS items that have been archived click here...

FROM THE PRESIDENT'S DESK

Job vacancy for 2012: Tooleybuc Central School, Riverina - Agriculture Full-time read more... *NEW*

Job vacancy for 2012: Plumpton High School, Western Sydney - Agriculture Years 7-12 (Full Time) 27/01/12 - 05/04/12 read more...

Volunteer school visitor program for Australian schools: Placements wanted read more...

DEC Review of the School Facilities Standards - Have your say read more... 

New Primary Industries syllabus for 2012 first examined 2013 read more...

HSC Agriculture 2011 Survey read more...

Sustaining Agriculture in NSW High Schools. A copy of Joanne Dodd's Masters Research is now available. (Abstract and Full Document) read more...

ACARA Technologies information update read more...

Proposed changes to the Primary Industries Syllabus and the NSWAAT response read more... All Primary Industries Teachers please read. Don't get saddled with a poor syllabus for many years.

	ACARA is conducting an overview of the general capabilities in the Australian Curriculum and draft conceptual statements.
ACARA is keen to contact individuals and groups who wish to view and to provide feedback on these draft materials read more...

There are serious concerns with the proposed Primary Industries syllabus read more...

National Teacher Standards read more...

Castlereagh Feeds offer to school based livestock show teams

Primary Industries in the Australian Curriculum.

Place of Agriculture in the Australian Curriculum discussion

Understanding School Agriculture Needs - Invitation to Participate in survey

Tocal College - Primary Industries teaching resources - publications catalogue Tocal Topics - September 2011 read more... (pdf)

Here is the latest Tocal College publications catalogue outlining the range of education resources for teachers of agriculture and natural resource management, most of which align to the new AHC10 Training Package; read more...

A free resource called the Atlas of New South Wales from the Land & Property Management Authority; read more...

The Primary Industries Centre located at North Wagga Wagga provides courses ranging from short skills based programs up to Advanced Diploma level; read more... (pdf)

Information on Veanavite calf milk replacer products; read more... (pdf) | website

Natural Resource Management on farms newsletters from NSW Primary Industries, provide the latest roundup of news relevant to agriculture. The following links give access to the most recent newsletters (pdf):-

• NRM on farms - February 2012 This edition looks at Climate - trends, resources, Carbon farming. Water - trading, allocations, Soil - cow compaction, food security. Energy - alternative fuels, bioenergy. Biodiversity - plant diversity, native vegetation, weeds. Sustainability and Events. *LATEST* [Rebecca lines-Kelly - NSW DPI]
• NRM on farms - December 2011
• NRM on farms - November 2011  Much of NSW looks set for a wet summer thanks to the warming Indian Ocean and the development of a weak La Nina in the Pacific.
• NRM on farms - August 2011 
• NRM on farms - June 2011

26 Dec 2011 - The Community Grants program is now open and applications are invited from Community Groups, Schools, Landcare and Local Government in the Murray CMA region to undertake activities with a Natural Resource Management focus read more...

‘FarmSim’ is a great teaching tool for the subject’s……. agriculture and economics….a software programme read more...

The NSW Country Area Program website has recently been revamped. It provides an extensive range of resources for curriculum activities and professional learning read more…

Unit of Work: Agriculture in a Changing Climate

Stage 6 Agriculture Sample HSC Examination Materials Higher School Certificate Agriculture Sample Questions (pdf)

New South Wales Primary Industries Bookshop

Aussie Educator - Agricultural Technology

This 'cowculator' is one I gave out in the later Syllabus support seminars. It is similar to the two on HSC online, and could be used to replace the dairy one in the context of the lessons on HSC online - David Randall

It relates to the CSU HSC Online Animal Nutrition Unit read more...

Higher School Certificate assessment grid for Agriculture 2011 and beyond

The Country Education Foundation of Australia (CEFA) has local foundations which provide non-cash grants to young people. read more

New technologies for education - copyright in the digital age: what every educator needs to know read more...

CSIRO Regional Education Centres

Primary Industry Centre for Science Education The Primary Industry Centre for Science Education (PICSE), is a National Strategy of collaboration between universities, their regional communities and local primary industries, to attract students into tertiary science and to increase the number of skilled professionals in agribusiness and research institutions.

Methane gas emissions

Curriculum Support for Agriculture - Course plans and units of work | Assessment and reporting | Teaching ideas | HSC Study Guide.

Editions of BAAT (the Bulletin of the Association of Agriculture Teachers) from previous years are available here.

LandLearn NSW the statewide schools education program about primary industries

The Spring 2011 edition of the LandLearn NSW newsletter is now available read more... *NEW*

HSC Online - Agriculture Production

Do you want to learn about native bees and anaphylaxis at your school or home? read more...

Best Practice in Beef Cattle Husbandry (MLA) *Updated*

AgriSeek-WorldWide News Service on LINKS webpage

Interactive Business Directory on LINKS webpage

Merino Breeding for Profit (pdf) An Australian Wool Innovations project *Updated* read more...

The Australian Collaboration Free Education Resources on the web. Fact sheets dealing with the societal and environmental issues of significance to Australia *Updated*

DIRT! The Movie and crucial environmental issues

For news and information of interest to informed and innovative educators, particularly relating to the use of new technologies in K-12 schools, go to wazmacdotcom *NEW*

Flipping the classroom using technology to change the way lessons are delivered read more... (SMH)

How Teachers Think Technology Works Best in the Classroom read more... GOOD Education is in partnership with the University of Phoenix

Ten features of iOS 5 that both teachers and students will find handy tools for learning read more...

Moodle K-12: Tutorial notes, videos & resources for teachers & administrators who are getting started using Moodle in their school. read more...

New developments in Moodle pages format (University of Sussex) read more…

New classroom tool – Virtual Farm Visit

Podcasting Workshop (pdf). Learn how to use Garageband to create podcasts from classroom content, publish student text types and speeches. Great Professional Development opportunity for all teachers who are integrating ICT in the curriculum.

Web Statistics for nswaat.org.au *Updated*

The NSWAAT 2010 Biennial Conference was held from the 5th to the 7th of October at the Farrer Memorial Agricultural High School, Tamworth. The theme was "Evolution or Revolution: Education for sustainable Agriculture".

State Executive for 2010-2012. Congratulations to all new office-bearers and a special thank you to Graeme Harris, Nicolet Westerhof and Laura Tolley for accepting the respective roles of president, secretary and treasurer.

NSWAAT membership fees are now overdue for 2011. Only financial members receive copies of BAAT read more...

NSWAAT Constitution