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Young farmers

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YOUNG FARMERS

Alasdair Boden: The Rivers Trust is helping me find my way

Farmers have to be flexible. In fact, they need the flexibility of a Cirque du Soleil performer to cope with every government U-turn. The problem is that while the government…

YOUNG FARMERS

Kate Tomlinson: Why surfing is great for mental health

In County Durham, the North Sea is considered an icy, intimidating and somewhat unfriendly neighbour. The people growing up there aren’t cool like southerners; most of us prefer to stay…

YOUNG FARMERS

Fergus MacGregor: Faith sustains farmers in difficult times

I hosted a group of farmers for a farm walk recently. As we all know, farms don’t look their best at this time of year. My guests politely commented on…

YOUNG FARMERS

Rebekah Housden: Lambing shows every day is a school day

By the time this piece is published, we will be through our first week of lambing. The sheds are full of healthy-looking North of England Mules, mainly expecting pairs. I…

YOUNG FARMERS

How young farmer's breeding plan underpins flock expansion

This year looks to be a big one for Farmers Weekly 2024 Ag Student of the Year Logan Williams as he combines knowledge from university and his new career in…

YOUNG FARMERS

Emily Lees: How farmers rallied to help us after accident

It was a Wednesday, about 9.30am. There was a loud clatter – typical for the farmyard, but enough to question what had happened… And there was Ed, my fiancé, lying…

YOUNG FARMERS

Olivia Rohll: It's important to engage with Land Use Framework

The Labour government launched its “national conversation” on land use in England on 31 January, inviting stakeholders to give their views on the type and scale of land use change…

Britain's Fittest Farmer

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COMMUNITY

BFF judge attempts 8,848m Everest rope climb

Britain’s Fittest Farmer judge and Farm Fitness founder Tom Kemp is taking on a Guinness World Record challenge to raise money for the Farming Community Network (FCN), by attempting the…

HEALTH AND WELLBEING

Britain's Fittest Farmer: Get stuck into regional qualifiers

Three host farms for the second stage of Farmers Weekly's Britain's Fittest Farmer competition have been revealed – and you might notice some familiar faces. Wiltshire farmer and long-standing arable…

HEALTH AND WELLBEING

Britain's Fittest Farmer finalists to compete at YFF19

Important announcement: The Young Farmers Festival is postponed until 2020, the new date will be announced soon. The Britain's Fittest Farmer live final will go ahead on 4 May as planned…

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Young farmers

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Careers

Why you should consider a land-based apprenticeship

The opportunity to earn while you learn will be an appealing prospect for many young people. So what’s involved in a land-based apprenticeship and could one be right for you?…

YOUNG FARMERS

How young farmers can get started with their own arable land

As a livestock farmer's son keen on venturing into arable farming, Tom Hadley leapt at the rare chance to rent land for a preferential rate to get him started. The…

JOB PROFILES

Job profile: What’s it like to be a brewer?

Brewing beer using crops from your home farm sounds like a pleasant hobby – but Matthew Hodgson has turned his passion for beer into a fully fledged business. Great Newsome…

Careers advice

From getting your first job in agriculture to maintaining your work skills and developing your career, we provide advice and insights.
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Advice and tips

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Why you should consider a land-based apprenticeship

The opportunity to earn while you learn will be an appealing prospect for many young people. So what’s involved in a land-based apprenticeship and could one be right for you?…

BUSINESS MANAGEMENT

Managing expansion and business planning as a young farmer

Preparing years in advance, constantly updating business plans and keeping a handle on gradual expansion all help dairy farmer Sam Bailey move towards his long-term goals. Sam, 24, beat about…

CAREERS AND PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT

A beginner's guide to careers in agriculture and farming

Some people find the idea of a career in agriculture hilarious. They think it is all mud, wellies and sticking your arm up the business end of a cow. But…

What's next? Options for farmers' children leaving school

A new year brings new beginnings - and for school leavers, this means considering what will happen after exams are finally over. What’s the best choice - home to the…

YOUNG FARMERS

10 pieces of advice for young people starting in agriculture

Experienced entrepreneurs had plenty of advice for the next generation at the NFYFC Annual Convention (4-6 May), offering insights into farming’s challenges – and how to overcome them.  We asked…

YOUNG FARMERS

Young sheep farmers share tips on year-round lamb marketing

Britain’s next generation of sheep farmers are taking the lead in promoting home-grown lamb as a healthy and sustainable choice for shoppers. These young industry representatives – aptly named “lambassadors”…

FERTILE MINDS

Podcast: Fertile Minds on retailers and business plans

The first of our Fertile Minds regional roadshows took place on 17 November at the Ricoh Arena in Coventry. The initiative, by Farmers Weekly in association with NFU Mutual, is…

BUSINESS

4 young farmers on setting up successful joint dairy ventures

Young farmers are successfully using joint ventures in the dairy sector as a way of developing their careers while increasing their net worth. Tony Evans, partner with consultant The Andersons…

8 secrets to progressing up the ag careers ladder

Getting your first job in the agricultural sector is a real milestone, but what does it take to get the next one and the one after that? If you’ve got…

BUSINESS

Podcast: Fertile Minds on planning your diversification

Farmers should look beyond sources of agricultural funding when seeking finance for diversification, the fourth Fertile Minds Roadshow in York heard last week. Young farmers at the roadshow, heard from…

CAREERS AND PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT

Tips for agriculture students on securing financial help

So you’ve decided what you are going to study and where – next comes the question of how you are going to pay for it. While students can get loans…

TRACTORS

Taking your tractor test – all you need to know

The Driving Standards Agency (DSA) tractor test gives budding farmers the chance to drive machines on the road at the age of 16, but it shouldn't be taken lightly. The…

Photos and video

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FARMLIFE FRAMED

Photo of the Week: All aboard the 'Lambulance'

This lucky lamb has hitched a ride on Jemma Parker’s “Lambulance” with sheepdog Nan at Windwhistle Farm, Salisbury. Jemma’s boss, who rents Windwhistle, in Bishopstone, from her father-in-law, runs 1,000…

FARMLIFE FRAMED

Photo of the Week: North Country Mule's 'thank you' for help

We love this photo of 20-year-old lambing assistant Amy Anderson with twin lambs - it looks like mum ewe is thanking her for her help. Amy is working at Hillworth…

FARMLIFE FRAMED

Photo of the week: Twins add to budding Suffolk flock

This lovely photo is of Holly Lockley and two of her new Suffolk lambs. Holly is a first-generation farmer with eight breeding ewes and two yearlings running on for next…

FARMLIFE FRAMED

Photo of the Week: New kids on the block

While browsing through the lambing gallery, we came across, not lambs, but these newborn kids. This little set of five are from one doe and are 10 days old. The…