PRIMARY school pupils from across Donegal visited the dairy farm of local farmer Elaine Vance near Raphoe as part of an educational initiative led by the National Dairy Council (NDC) through the EU School Milk Scheme.
The visit brought together pupils from five local primary schools – Cashelshanaghan NS, Letterkenny; Convoy Joint NS, Convoy; Scoil Eoghain, Moville; Dromore NS, Lifford; and Drumfad National School, Letterkenny – for a hands-on day of learning focused on animal welfare, nutrition, milk production, and how food is produced on Irish farms.
Throughout the day, children took part in interactive learning stations designed to follow the journey of milk from grass to glass. Pupils also saw milking demonstrations and gained insight into life on a working farm, including how milk produced on the Vance family farm is supplied to Aurivo, the farmer-owned co-operative behind the Connacht Gold brand, which they also enjoyed as part of the visit.
The visit was part of a wider national programme this month, with almost 1,500 pupils from 25 schools visiting dairy farms across Ireland through the EU School Milk Scheme.
The EU School Milk Scheme, co-funded by the EU and Ireland’s Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, is delivered in Ireland with support from the National Dairy Council (NDC) through its Moo Crew educational programme. The Scheme provides subsidised milk to schools alongside educational resources promoting nutrition and food awareness.
Emma Walls, CEO of the National Dairy Council (NDC), said the programme helps children make meaningful connections between food, farming, and nutrition.
“For many children, this is their first real experience of a farm and their first chance to see where milk comes from beyond the supermarket shelf. Experiences like these help children make important connections between food, farming, nutrition, and the role dairy plays in daily life.”
Donegal dairy farmer Elaine Vance, who farms alongside her father Geoffrey Vance and husband Robert McCauley near Raphoe, said she was delighted to welcome pupils to the farm.
“The children are always so curious and full of questions. Every day is a school day on the farm, and it’s great to be able to share what we do here with them.”
A participating Donegal teacher, Diane Magee of Convoy Joint NS, said the visit provided pupils with a valuable opportunity to learn outside the classroom and gain first-hand insight into where their milk comes from and the various stages of the milking process.
“It is hugely enriching for children to experience dairy farming in a hands-on way through this programme.”
Schools interested in taking part can find more information at MooCrew.ieschoolmilk.
