We have taught and immersed our students into the world of Agriculture for nearly 100 years. With our broad offering across Primary Industries, Agriculture and Farm life, we provide a solid foundation of knowledge that exposes our students to the opportunities available in this critical industry.
Agricultural Precinct
‘Meadowfield’ is our Agricultural Precinct, only two blocks east of the main TAS campus. The plot sits on 25 acres and has four buildings that bring Agriculture to life for our students. We have an Agriculture classroom, an undercover livestock handling outbuilding, a specialised feed storage and a machinery shed.
TAS also utilises an additional 165 acre block west of Armidale where our stud Poll Hereford herd comprising 20 - 25 breeders, plus yearling heifers and calves, graze. This block has livestock handling facilities.
Agriculture Program
Our program provides a breadth of experience and exposure to many components of Agriculture. Agriculture, by definition, encompasses crop and livestock production, aquaculture, fisheries, and forestry, for food and non-food products.
Our program seeks to cover as many components of those that have relevance in our region. We focus on understanding beef cattle, wool and prime lamb and poultry production, as well as vegetable production and apiology (bees and honey).
From Year 7, students begin studying agriculture and from Year 9 students can specialise within our Elective program, which helps gain a unique insight into targeted areas within a broad picture of Agriculture. This helps students gain a unique insight into targeted areas within a broad picture of Agriculture.
These range from ‘Sustainability’ to the ‘Future of Food’; to ‘Introduction to Beef Cattle and Honey Production’ and ‘Introduction to Modern Lamb and Poultry Production’.
Our Junior School students also go on regular excursions to our Ag plot, as well as 'growing their own' vegetables at the plot right by the Junior School.
And what about the HSC
Students are then provided the opportunity to delve further into their agricultural interests during their HSC, by choosing Primary Industries, which doubles up as an HSC subject and a Certificate II in Agriculture. Alternatively they can choose Agriculture as a stand-alone course which covers plant/animal production, the basics of farm management as a business (including Agricultural technology) and then an elective with either agri-food, fibre and fuel technologies, climate challenge or 21st century farming.
It is at this point that we begin to broaden their opportunities within our regional community, which is at the forefront of innovation in the world of agriculture, cementing our ability to have a global outlook. This is through our strong local links to the University of New England, which is the leading Australian university in Rural Science.
Additionally, we enjoy business and industry links to key leading companies in Agriculture, including Impact Ag, Meat and Livestock Australia (MLA), Herefords Australia, GrazAg, to name a few. This then creates opportunities to build a career in any area within agriculture, with the support from passionate industry leaders.
Each year we also attend AgQuip at Gunnedah, the largest agricultural field day in the country, which gives our students the opportunity to gain a broad look at the latest developments in agriculture, be it in livestock production, farming equipment, technology and broadacre machinery.
Farm Enterprise
Between the two holdings, students can practically support the running of our livestock enterprises which consist of 25+ Poll Hereford Stud Cows, 18 Australian Ultra White Stud Ewes and 20 Purebred Light Sussex Chickens. Poll Herefords have been part of TAS Agriculture for decades, with students also preparing and showing stud cattle at local agricultural shows.
Three years ago TAS became one of the first in eastern Australia to establish an Australian Ultra White sheep stud, securing genetics from Hillcroft Farms near Perth for this new composite, wool-shedding breed, which has similar meat eating qualities as Wagyu beef.
Meanwhile, poultry has become a main-stay at ‘Meadowfield’, with birds prepared for display and meat judging competitions at the Royal Easter Show in Sydney, and their eggs making the short journey to the School kitchens, reflecting a true commitment to ‘paddock to plate’.
Immediately adjacent to 'Meadowfield’ is the School’s Trades Training Centre at Doody Park, where subjects include Automotives, Small Engines, Welding, Industrial Design and Design & Technology, which complement the Agriculture offering, including in the ‘ag-tech’ space.
We acknowledge the wonderful donation from the Estate of the late Mathew Dunbar (OA ‘92) who had a passion for agriculture, which has contributed significantly to upgrading and expanding the facilities at ‘Meadowfield’.
Nurture a career or lifestyle in the growing world of Agriculture.
"From beef to wheat, cotton to canola - if it's grown in NSW, it'll be loved around the world.
In 2022-23, primary industries' exports reached a record high of $13.1 billion - up 15% year on -year".
NSW Premier Chris Minns, 2024
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