Kaleb Cooper to judge contest which aims to get young people interested in farming

Clarkson's Farm star Kaleb Cooper has announced he will be judging a challenge to help promote young people's connections with food and farming.

Mr Cooper, who shot to fame alongside Jeremy Clarkson in the Amazon Prime farming hit series, said he will support the National Federation of Young Farmers' Club's (NFYFC) EIEIO challenge which aims to promote engagement both with young people in and out of the industry.

The EIEIO challenge requires individuals or groups from YFC to record a short video which promotes an area of agriculture that they are passionate about and to show how their club connects to food, farming and the countryside during national young farmers' week (October 9-13).

The Chipping Norton contractor said it is important to connect with a wider audience to help ‘inspire' the next generation of farmers.

"I am really excited to be backing the EIEIO Challenge as encouraging young people into farming is so important to me.

"It is a positive way for members to share their passion about food and farming with people outside the industry.  

"When I was at school, I already knew I wanted to work in farming - from selling eggs aged 13, to breeding sheep at 14 and buying my first tractor at 15.

"And over the past couple of years, I have been lucky to be able to share the highs, and sometimes lows, of farming to a wider audience.

"I cannot wait to see what creative ideas these YFC come up with as there is so much talent in our industry and this challenge is a chance to inspire the next generation." 

YFC agri chair, Charlotte Garbutt, said the challenge comes at a ‘crucial time' to encourage more people to enter farming.

 "Agriculture is facing many changes and challenges, and it can be discouraging for new entrants.

"NFYFC wants to bring some positivity back and promote how amazing the sector is and the role we play in food, farming, and the countryside. 

"This challenge builds on NFYFC's Home Grown campaign, which is focused on promoting the benefits of sourcing local British produce and cooking from scratch."