Young Farmers and Careers

Olivia Holt, 25, from Thorton-Cleveleys, Lancashire, works on two dairy farms as well as at home on her father’s suckler beef farm.

Catherine Hynd, 27, is from Jedburgh, Scottish Borders. She graduated from Heriot-Watt University with a degree in business management and is working towards becoming a rural bookkeeper.

Young farmers are concerned the Covid-19 pandemic will affect their long-term prospects and feel pessimistic about future opportunities to live and work in rural areas, a study has found.

William Lea, 24, is a poultry farmer based at Church Stretton, Shropshire, and works for Lloyds Animal Feeds.

Martha Hayes, 24, is manager of media and communications at Innovation for Agriculture, which she does alongside running her herd of Lincoln Red cattle and helping out with the family farm in Lincolnshire.

The sentiment that it is sometimes easier to talk to a stranger than to relatives or friends is one that struck a chord with dairy farmer Hannah Lawrence, who volunteers on the DPJ charity’s ‘Share The Load’ phone helpline. Hannah Park reports.

A major fundraising effort has been launched in a bid to plug a £1 million black hole in Young Farmers’ Clubs’ coffers.

Connor Tindall-Read is a 24-year-old tractor driver who has worked on the Holkham Estate, North Norfolk, for the past four years.

Having a plan in place for the end of your farming career or for the next generation to come in is often far easier said than done.