New entrants

Finally, a little more rain has arrived here in Cheshire. Regardless of soil type, the second half of the summer has challenged all our grazing.

Recently, Dad and I took a now very rare trip to Gisburn Auction Mart. As the business has grown over the years, we have headed down dealing with more direct contracts, so no longer get out to marts as much.

The recent rain has been very welcome here, as I am sure it has for most of the country.

Since I last wrote we have had 10mm of rain, all of which arrived this week. 

We are an industry that welcomes new talent and with the recent labour shortage crisis we are in need more than ever. Emily Ashworth speaks to new entrants who are looking to make their mark on farming.

Despite farming not being in the blood, new entrant Louie van Geffen is building a commercial farming business while expanding his flourishing Beltex flock. Katie Fallon finds out more.

Farming is such a great industry to work in, especially if you do not originally come from a farming background. With every day presenting new and different challenges, we asked four new entrants why they got into the industry.

Increased land values were raising barriers to new entrants to farming as natural capital and afforestation interest drive Scottish farmland markets according to a new report by Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC).

Charlotte Pike is on the hunt for a farm, but finding the right opportunity is proving difficult. Here she tells Farmers Guardian about her idea of linking retiring farmers up with new entrants.

Emily Hughes is proof that having no agricultural background or farming experience is not a barrier to a career in the poultry industry. Katie Fallon reports.