The first global web video competition for farmers, called YouFarm International has been launched by Bayer CropScience .

The company wants to provide farmers and people passionate about farming the opportunity to increase awareness and boost understanding of modern agriculture with the public.

Thomas Blackett and Stacey Lepper and their sons Jude , Willem and Theo are typical of New Zealander’s farming families.The couple were the 2014 Bay of Plenty Farm Managers of the Year.

“Most people don’t give much thought to the origins of the food they consume. Products come from the supermarket, and that’s where the story ends,” says Holger Detje, head of Bayer CropScience New Zealand.

“YouFarm aims to give farmers a global platform to show the world what they do and how important it is. The videos also put faces and personalities to modern agriculture, and demonstrate first-hand the challenges and conditions of farming around the world.”

The YouFarm International video competition sports a new motto every year. In 2015, it’s “Farm n’ Family” to give credit to the family farms around the world, of which there are many in the farming nation of New Zealand.

 “Farmers are the backbone of New Zealand’s economy, and on a global scale family farms account for almost 90 percent of the world’s 570 million agricultural farms.

“It’s vital that we understand and acknowledge the incredible work they do – that’s what this competition is all about.”

Bayer CropScience has continually worked together with family farmers around the world to develop and implement innovative agricultural techniques and thus to ensure food safety and security.

Participants in the YouFarm competition upload short videos via the website (www.youfarm.international). A jury of international experts from the agricultural and media sectors will then choose the winning video from a shortlist, which includes the top 10 videos selected via public online voting.

The winning video will be awarded a Farming Around the Continent Tour. Together with a partner, the winner will have the opportunity to gain new insights by visiting farms and agricultural heritage sites in Asia Pacific this year. The participants placed second to twentieth will be awarded material prizes.

New Zealand farmers wishing to enter can upload their videos online until June 15, 2015. Online voting will run through July 1, 2015. Anyone can vote directly for their favourite videos on the YouFarm website or by sharing them on social media. The winning videos will be presented during the Youth Ag Summit in Australia, August 24-28, 2015.