Fertile Minds: How to be a successful young farmer
What does it take to make it as a young farmer? Four young farmers shared their experiences of entering agriculture and growing their businesses at Farmers Weekly‘s Fertile Minds event
The young farmers
- Craig Grant After a decade in the offshore oil industry, moved back to farming and quickly established a poultry business on his family’s arable farm, with 72,000 layers supplying Morrisons, Tesco and Aldi.
- Gareth Barlow First generation sheep farmer. Sold his Xbox for six rare-breed Hebridean sheep, and supplied 10 Michelin-starred restaurants with lamb.
- Nick Cavill First generation – arable contracting, dairy heifer rearing, and a 3,000-bales-a-year silage business.
- Jonathan Skinner Farmers Weekly’s Young Farmer of the Year 2013. Contract farms 182ha, rears ducks and 30,000 free-range Christmas turkeys.
How did they turn their ideas into reality?
Craig spotted a gap in the market and used money he’d earned as an offshore engineer to enter farming in his own right. A mentor helped him turn things into reality.
With five jobs Gareth earned enough money to start his business. “You’ve just got to apply yourself,” he said. “If you need the money go and earn it – it just means it might take you a bit longer than others.”
Nick started milking at 13 years old and saved to start his business. He advises opening a business account and developing a good relationship with your bank, so you can approach them when you’re ready.
“There are people out there who will help,” said Jonathan. His turkey buyer paid for the poultry buildings to be modernised, and he also borrowed from Agricultural Mortgage Company.
What is the key to getting ideas and opportunities?
“It can be a long term idea – I didn’t want to have to separate the family farm between all the brothers,” said Craig. In terms of opportunities, “if you want to get into the farming industry you have to be prepared to make a sacrifice.”
Not knowing much about farming encouraged Gareth to “explore the periphery”, he said. He worked backwards, starting with the product he wanted to make, then how to produce it.
Nick knew he wanted to be a dairy farmer from a young age.
If you’re lucky enough to have a farm to work on, look around it and see what you can use or develop, said Jonathan. Then approach companies with your idea.
What is the biggest mistake you’ve made and what did you learn from it?
Craig wishes he’d gone back to farming sooner. “I listened too much to the negative things friends and family said.” After years working in dangerous situations, he said “it’s important to understand what you value – job satisfaction or cash in the bag.”
Cashflow was a big problem said Gareth. He advised producing a more mainstream product than a very niche one.
“Don’t borrow too much money,” warned Nick. If something goes wrong, you might not be able to pay it back.
Sometimes believing too much in what you do can inhibit your ability to see problems, said Jonathan. “Don’t get excited by things like machinery and invest too early.”
Read more from the Fertile Minds event