Young Farmers and Careers

I have been able to progress though a number of roles since joining the business in 2006 and now in my roles as Farmers Guardian Head of Livestock and Editor of Dairy Farmer I have a great variety to my job.

I feel that so much pressure is put on young people not to make the wrong choice with their career, but hopefully you can see from my story that all experience counts, especially in an industry like agriculture which is continually striving to reflect, adapt, learn, and improve.

Working within the agriculture sector means you are constantly moving and have to adapt to change so quickly. It’s fun but but it’s not just about muck on wellies, there are so many areas to explore. The opportunities are endless. I couldn’t recommend it highly enough.

‘I had no intention of pursuing a career in agricultural journalism, but when I saw Farmers Guardian was recruiting for a reporter based in London, I knew I had to go for it.’

In a National Federation of Young Farmers’ Clubs (NFYFC) first, Rachel Goldie has been elected chairwoman 25 years after her father, Alan Goldie, held the position in 1996.

With farming often viewed as a career for life, the need to upskill employees to increase motivation or improve staff retention has become a widely accepted concept. Hannah Binns reports.

Nathan Allen, 24, is a third-generation farmer and currently manages two farms in the heart of the Lake District, in Winster Valley and Cartmel.

Kerry Gratton, 19 from Spalding, Lincolnshire, is a fifth-generation farmer living on an arable holding and is working towards becoming a rural surveyor.

Beth Alexander, 23, is from Blairgowrie, Scotland and farms 800 suckler cows and 1800 ewes across three upland units. She also works in the industry development team at Quality Meat Scotland as a cattle and sheep specialist.

Share farming is increasingly popular for people wanting to get a foot on the farming ladder, as well as those struggling with succession. Ruth Wills looks at some of the options.