Young Farmers and Careers

Matthew Donald, 30, from Northallerton in North Yorkshire, runs a farrow to finish pig unit, alongside two broiler breeder farms producing fertile hatching eggs for the broiler industry.

Rural young people will be recognised for the first time in-person at the National Federation of Young Farmers’ Club (NFYFC) YFC Achiever Awards.

Dan Hawes, 26, is based in Mereworth, Kent. He is an arable turned fruit farmer, growing strawberries and blackberries as part of a larger farming business.

Rachael Wood, 22, grew up on a beef and arable farm in Kinross-shire. She currently works in the rural payments and inspections division for the Scottish Government and is the SAYFC Fife and Kinross District Secretary.

Catriona Dickson, 21, is from County Durham but currently lives in Aberdeen as a Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC) student studying rural business management.

Scottish Government funding has breathed new life into the rural training sector, helping upskill instructors and bring in new recruits.

Liz King, 28, splits her time between Whitland, Carmarthenshire and the family farm in Glastonbury, Somerset and works full time as a project officer at The Prince’s Countryside Fund.

A new incentive by Defra will help new entrants get their foot on the farming ladder.

Rachel Cooper, 27, is Shropshire’s YFC county chair. She hails from Whitchurch, North Shropshire but now lives in Bridgnorth on her partner’s sheep and arable farm.

A new Kent youth event is inviting people aged 18-30 to find out more about a career in the fresh food and horticulture sectors.