14 local secondary school pupils and their teachers have been taken on a study tour by the meat processor ABP to find out more about its business in the UK and the beef supply chain. They are all 2019 finalists in the ABP Angus Youth Challenge and are from Aughnacloy College; Fivemiletown College; Wallace High School Lisburn and the Royal Belfast Academical Institution.
The tour commenced with an induction on career pathways into agri-food and a cookery demonstration on Angus beef at CAFRE’s Loughry Campus. They then flew over England to visit ABP UK’s site at Ellesmere which is one of Europe’s most advanced beef processing sites. ABP Ellesmere occupies a site the size of 15 football pitches and employs over 700 people. The pupils learned about ABP’s sustainable approach to beef processing including its renewables division Olleco which converts waste into renewable fuel and is the first circular economy company to be granted a Royal Warrant. There was also a visit to one of ABP’s exemplary Angus Blade Farms and a retail customer.
As part of the competition, the pupils have to work on research assignments that support the meat production sector. They also have to rear five Aberdeen Angus cross calves to beef, given to them by ABP and then sell them to the meat processor at the end of the process. The pupils were accompanied on the tour by local employees of ABP and the Northern Irish Angus Producer Group.
The ABP Angus Youth Challenge is currently open for entries from new participants who are aged 14-16 years old. Schools clubs, societies or groups of friends can enter a team of 2 to 5 individuals. You don’t have to live on a farm to take part. Entry is by way of a short video submission. The closing date is 29th November 2019.
