The popularity of farmers' markets combined with concerns over food security is making the number of school leavers taking agriculture courses increase rapidly, according to a study. Large numbers of 16- to 18-year-olds are going to study subjects such as agriculture, food and gamekeeping despite having no background in farming. Jeanette Dawson, principal of Bishop Burton College, said women were also taking up courses at an increasing rate. She said it was related to a series of food scandals  such as the discovery of horsemeat in frozen meals stocked by major supermarkets. But the movement was also promoted by an increased awareness of the importance of local food and produce, she said. The number of students taking courses in "land-based subjects" has increased by a quarter in the last 12 months alone - from 5,138 to 6,482. Mrs. Dawson said there were a lot of young people who weren't from farming backgrounds. But there had been a growth in the number of them accessing agriculture programes with a view to a career in the industry. She said agriculture was an  "applied science, with the great outdoors as its laboratory". And it was increasingly seen as an attractive job for school leavers. "I never underestimate   the ability of teenagers to pick up on it. The more it is in the media, the more it interests young people. Whenever I go in my local pub, it has on the blackboard where the sausages   are from. Everyone is interested in buying local food and knowing where their food is from. The comments were made as Bishop Burton prepares to expand, with a PSI3 million project to build a new campus in Lincolnshire. The site - due to open in September 20l5 - will be the college's second in the county, in addition to one at nearby Riseholme. What is making large numbers of students take agriculture courses?
Agriculture is very important to a country. People are increasingly concerned about food security. Many colleges are offering agriculture courses. Agriculture is an applied science.