4.4 Farm Visits

Overview

Farm visits can provide valuable learning experiences but require careful planning to manage health and safety risks. Agriculture is the most dangerous industry in Great Britain by fatal injury rate.

Farms are working environments, and animals naturally carry micro-organisms that can be transmitted to humans. These zoonotic diseases can be hazardous to health. While illness can be serious, the risk is low when sensible hygiene measures, clear guidance and appropriate supervision are in place.

Educational Value

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Farm visits help pupils understand where food comes from, how animals are cared for, the natural world and how farms operate throughout the year.

They can support learning across many areas of the curriculum and help develop awareness of:

• Animal welfare
• Environmental responsibility
• Food production
• Rural life and seasonal changes

Visits also give pupils the opportunity to experience nature and agriculture first-hand.

Choosing a Suitable Farm

Where possible, farms should hold the Learning Outside the Classroom (LOtC) Quality Badge, which confirms that appropriate educational and safety standards are in place.

If a farm does not hold the LOtC Quality Badge, you should seek evidence of suitable standards, such as alternative accreditation e.g CEVAS (the Countryside Educational Visits Accreditation Scheme) or reliable recommendations. A Provider Check Form/Statement could be used to capture this due diligence.

Additional planning may be required when visiting working farms that do not regularly host groups, as hazards may include:

• Farm machinery and vehicles
• Livestock and animal handling areas
• Silos, slurry pits or lagoons
• Uneven/unstable ground or farm structures
• Public rights of way through the site
• Staff that are not vetted, experienced or trained to work with children

Health Considerations

In addition to, for example, E. coli and Cryptosporidium, other potential risks may include Weil’s Disease (linked to contaminated water) and Lyme Disease (from tick bites).

These risks can be managed through good hygiene practices, appropriate clothing and clear instructions.

Parents and carers should receive information about:

• The nature of the visit
• What to wear/bring
• How hygiene risks will be managed
• Symptoms to watch for following the visit and what to do

Members of your party who are pregnant, or may be pregnant, should avoid contact with animals that are giving birth or have recently given birth.

Planning and Preparation

A preliminary visit is recommended to check facilities, safety arrangements and contingency plans. You should confirm:

• Adequate handwashing and toilet facilities are available
• Eating areas are clearly separated from animal areas
• Hazardous substances and chemicals are secured
• Farm traffic and machinery are properly managed
• Farm staff are suitable to work with children
• Areas that are out of bounds

Visit Leaders should complete an appropriate risk assessment and brief participants on behaviour, hygiene and suitable clothing.

During and After the Visit

Participants should be supervised carefully throughout the visit.

Good hygiene is essential. Eating or drinking should not take place while touring the farm. Avoid putting hands to mouth.

Pupils should wash their hands thoroughly:

• After touching/feeding animals
• Before eating or drinking
• Before leaving the farm

If anyone becomes unwell after the visit, particularly with symptoms such as sickness or diarrhoea, medical advice should be sought and the farm informed that recent animal contact has taken place.