27/10/2026
Below is a comment from Anna Simpson (FAHS 2016-2020) on the importance of keeping Agriculture at Y11:
"Growing up on my family farm, I developed a passion for agriculture that ultimately led me to pursue a career in the industry. I attended Feilding High School, where I was fortunate to study agriculture throughout all five years of my secondary education, along with agribusiness and agri-science in Year 13.
Year 11 agriculture was a particularly pivotal point in my journey, as it helped me discover what I wanted to do with my future and laid the foundations for my degree and career. I thoroughly enjoyed the subject, and it supported me throughout my NCEA studies, ultimately leading me to complete a Bachelor of Agribusiness at Massey University in Palmerston North.
After leaving Massey University, I joined BNZ’s Agribusiness Graduate Programme in Hawke’s Bay before returning home to Manawatū, where I now work as a Rural Banker with BNZ. Looking back, I genuinely don’t believe I would be in the career I am today without having studied agriculture at school. I believe Year 11 agriculture plays a vital role in helping young people explore their interests, discover career pathways and build a strong foundation for further opportunities.
Year 11 is a key time in a teenager's life where there are plenty of changes happening and questions around what are you going to do and where do you want to go. I feel it is incredibly important to have a range of subjects available to all students to ensure that we are giving them the utmost support into any career that they may want to get into. It is no secret that in New Zealand agriculture is the backbone of our economy and we need to continue to have young people coming through. If we don’t keep the options open throughout the earlier years of high school, it limits what subjects students can take and may shift them towards alternative careers.
Agriculture is fundamental to New Zealand and our economy, and its importance has only become more apparent to me throughout my studies and career. For these reasons, I strongly believe Year 11 agricultural education is incredibly valuable and that removing it from the curriculum would be a significant loss for students and the future of New Zealand’s agricultural sector."
