Young Farmers and Careers

Students at Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC) took part in an online celebration on Monday (July 6) after their graduation ceremony was cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Lizzie Bradley, 23, from Lanchester, Co Durham, is a Harper Adams graduate and has worked at some of the biggest dairy shows in the world.

Virtual home-working has been a learning curve for many agricultural employees, so what lessons can be learned from the journey so far? Danusia Osiowy speaks to three young professionals who have adapted to new working days.

Mure Grant, 20, is a sheep farmer’s son from Thurso, Caithness, and recently competed in Scotland’s young handlers section at the international sheepdog trials.

Farming in his own right is a life-long dream of Fraser Murray’s, so when he got the opportunity to take on some land of his own, he decided to think outside the box to get the wheels in motion. Hannah Park finds out more.

Proving age is just a number, 14-year-old Henry Harrison is rising to the challenges of the UK trialling scene, competing at the same level as some of the country’s most experienced handlers.

Laura Wilson, 23, from Cleckheaton, West Yorkshire, is the daughter of a beef farmer and recently joined KW Feeds as assistant blends manager.

The amount of capital required to start up as a new entrant alongside misconceptions swirling about the industry are two of the biggest barriers facing young farmers across the UK.

Ben Lewis, 25, works with his parents on their mixed family farm in Dilwyn, Herefordshire, which is home to the Haven herd of pedigree Hereford cattle.

Peter Duthie, 24, is a third generation mixed farmer from Kennethmont, Aberdeenshire, and works as an operation manager at Scottish Pig Producers Ltd.