IT is a home-grown program that's proved a hit with schools in Sydney.
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Now the call has gone out for Illawarra and South Coast schools to take part in the 2013 Archibull Prize as it expands across the country with the help of federal government funding.
An Art4Agriculture initiative, the Archibull Prize promotes agricultural and environmental awareness in schools through art, design, creativity and teamwork.
Jamberoo dairy farmer Lynne Strong is the national program director and said the Archibull Prize had visited more than 50 schools across NSW in the last two years, mostly in metropolitan Sydney where the program was proving popular.
Schools are given a blank, life-sized fibreglass cow on which they create an art work related to the theme of "what it takes to sustainably feed and clothe the community for a day".
Each school is given an industry to showcase: beef, dairy, wool or cotton.
Schools are paired with young farming and environmental "champions" who share sustainable farming stories and work with students throughout the project.
In the Illawarra, a high-calibre team of champions has been formed that includes Conservation Volunteers Australia regional manager Renae Riviere, the 2013 Shoalhaven Young Citizen of the Year Jess Monteith, and Wollongong environmental campaigner Megan Rowlatt.
Ms Strong said the motivation behind the program was to give farmers an opportunity to go out and talk to their future customers and have a two-way conversation.
"The way the current supply chain is structured makes it hard for farmers to build relationships with their customers because there are so many people in the middle," she said.
Ms Strong said farmers were the best people to raise awareness about agriculture because they were the ones who people wanted to talk to most about it.
"People are interested in what farmers do and have to say," she said.
"This is a fun way to do that and keep kids engaged while they are doing something different."
Teachers and school representatives interested in taking part can visit the website art4agriculture.com.au or email lynnestrong@art4agriculture.com.au.