Young Farmers and Careers

Hands-on experience has inspired secondary schools to promote farming as a rewarding career to their pupils. Caroline Stocks finds out more about how a slow and steady approach is paying dividends.

Hannah Slim, 19, grew up on the outskirts of Birmingham and is a former vegan. She is currently studying conservation and environmental management at Harper Adams University.

With Open Farm Sunday taking place later this year, farmers have a chance to make a significant difference in educating the public and offering an on-farm experience to remember. Sarah Todd looks at the benefits.

NFU Cymru has launched a search for enthusiastic young farmers keen to have their say on the future of farming in Wales

Josie Troop, 23, currently lives on her family’s beef and arable farm in Newark, Nottinghamshire and is the NFU’s student and young farmer ambassador for the East Midlands.

Floss Styles, 30, is the founder of the First Generation Farmers Group on Facebook. From two sheep to 60, she is building up a farming business in Whittlesey, Cambridgeshire, while working full-time.

The Prince of Wales’ charitable foundation has submitted plans to create a new farming school in Scotland to encourage more people to embark on agricultural careers. 

Benjamin Middlewood, 24, works on his family’s 182-hectare (450-acre) arable farm in Driffield, Yorkshire Wolds. They grow a typical range of combinable crops, as well as vining peas for a local group, and sugar beet for the Newark factory.

I was brought up on the family farm which was run as a partnership with my parents and uncle.