Young Farmers and Careers

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.

Mick Handley, 26, grew up on a hill farm in Slaidburn, Lancashire and is in partnership with his parents, running a herd of pedigree Belted Galloway cattle and 1,000 ewes.

Zoe Legg, 21, is studying extended agri-food and business management at Harper Adams University and helps run her family’s beef suckler herd in Devon.

Rebecca Vining, 18, is from Bath, Somerset and works on an autumn-block calving farm.

Beth Menzies, 21, grew up on her family hill farm in Argyll, studied agriculture at Scotland’s Rural College and works as a shepherd in the Scottish Borders.

Employing students is not just of benefit to the student, securing valuable experience to launch a career after graduation. Clemmie Gleeson speaks to an estate manager and farm owner who believe students bring welcome gains to their enterprises, and to the students who benefited from their commitment.

Young farmers have been ‘nothing short of brilliant’ throughout the Covid-19 pandemic, National Federation of Young Farmers’ Club (NFYFC) chairman, Dewi Parry has said.

Geth Johnson, 26, is an agricultural engineering lecturer at Gelli Aur campus, Coleg Sir Gar, Carmarthenshire.