STUDENT FARMER - JANUARY 2023

M E E T T H E N E W S &Y F A M B A S S A D O R S

The magazine for young farmers

Step out of your comfort zone

January 2023

THE BLACK FARMER

on the dangers of playing it safe

Zoe felt the fear and did it anyway with her innovative dairy venture

PLUS...

10 ways to save money Beat the winter blues with our tips

MENTAL HEALTH

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Contents

10 PUBLISHED BY:

NFU, Agriculture House, Stoneleigh Park, Stoneleigh, Warwickshire, CV8 2TZ

EDITOR

Jo Travis jo.travis@nfu.org.uk

FILLED WITH WORDS BY:

Beth Wright, Jo Travis, Molly Chenery, Alexander Payne, Hannah Cuthbert, Caitlin Gallagher and Sophie Bird

DESIGNED BY:

John Cottle

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WHERE THERE'S A WILL THERE'S A WHEY

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SIX WAYS TO STEP OUT OF YOUR COMFORT ZONE

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MEET OUR NEW NFU STUDENT & YOUNG FARMER AMBASSADORS

COVER IMAGE BY:

John Cottle

PHOTO CREDITS:

Alan Brown alan.brown@nfu.org.uk

MENTAL HEALTH CHECK

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LEN'S WISH – CHECK IN WITH YOUR FRIENDS AND FAMILY

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THAT'S ENTERTAINMENT – THINGS TO DO

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COME AND SEE THE PARADE

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THE BLACK FARMER ON THE DANGERS OF PLAYING IT SAFE FOR YOUNG PEOPLE

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WISH YOU WERE HERE? CHANCE TO LIVE ON A SCOTTISH ISLAND

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EFFECTS OF RURAL CRIME

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SAVED FROM THE SKY - AIR AMBULANCE'S RURAL WORK

DON'T GET SCURVY: TAKE ONE CHICKEN

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TEN WAYS TO SAVE MONEY

iStock, John Cottle

TO ADVERTISE, CONTACT:

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Step out of your comfort zone

T Read all past editions of Student Farmer at: issuu.com/studentfarmer

FOLLOW US: /StudentFarmer @studentfarmer @studentfarmer

his is a slightly unusual edition – Editor Orla McIlduff has gone on to pastures new and we haven't quite got our ducks in a row yet and trained up her replacement. So I have had to cast my mind way, way back to my university years (Guinness and Nirvana, anyone?) to channel my inner student farmer for this issue. Luckily, I have been ably assisted by Content Editor Beth Wright, NFU Comms Graduate, Alexander Payne and Comms Apprentice, Sophie Bird. They are all at the beginning of their careers and are keen and full of energy, so I have harnessed that enthusiasm for January's edition.

This issue is based around the wise words of Wilfred Emmanuel-Jones MBE, AKA The Black Farmer, on the dangers of playing it safe. Stepping out of her comfort zone was what Zoe Legg did when a new business idea came her way. It's what the Air Ambulance crews do every time they leave the helipad. It's what one family is asking two intrepid souls to do on their remote Orkney farmstead this summer. And it's what our new Student and Young Farmer Ambassadors are getting ready to do in 2023.

Stepping out of your comfort zone is not a green light to rush headlong into dangerous/illegal behaviour. StudentFarmer will not bail you out or visit you in hospital if you have been daft. Rather it is a reminder that in order to keep moving forward you need to keep challenging yourself. And if you need more inspiration, I leave you with the words of the late, great Terry Pratchett: “It is well known that a vital ingredient of success is not knowing that what you're attempting can't be done. A person ignorant of the possibility of failure can be a half-brick in the path of the bicycle of history.”

Jo Travis, (Temporary) Student Farmer Editor

WINNER WINNER!

Student Farmer magazine was recently named Membership Publication of the Year at the 2022 PPA Independent Publisher Awards.

The May 2022 edition also received a Special Mention in the Cover of the Year category.

January 2023

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Zoe Legg

COVER STORY

Where there’s a will there’s a whey Former Student & Young Farmer Ambassador Zoe Legg tells Beth

Wright how the programme provided the confidence to launch her business and how she tackles the line between managing her mental health and stepping out of her comfort zone

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Zoe Legg Zoe, 23, runs a mainly arable farm alongside her mother

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member of the 2019/2020 Student & Young Farmer Ambassador cohort, Zoe has launched a 100% British whey protein supplement business, founded on the desire to support the British dairy industry and promote mental and physical health in a more sustainable way.

The idea was sparked when Zoe attempted to eat purely British produce for a week but stumbled over finding a protein supplement.

“I couldn’t find a protein powder that was guaranteed British,” she told Student Farmer. “With such a thriving cheese and dairy industry, it seemed ridiculous that we couldn’t have a British protein powder.”

The outcome is Better On, which launched at Harper Adams University's Christmas fair, where Zoe is a student. The business uses whey, a leftover of making cheese which is often thrown away. This is sourced from a subsidiary of a company which specialises in calf milk powders but also manufactures an element of the whey, which is supplied by British farmers, into human-grade whey protein supplement.

“It’s a very sustainable source of protein because it is essentially just a by-product,” Zoe said, adding there are no ingredients other than the whey and the emulsifier to help it go into the liquid form.

“It’s 100% natural and it comes 100% from the UK so all of that whey has helped a British farmer or British cheese producer because it’s giving them an extra added value to what is essentially a waste product.” The idea is that the unflavoured supplement can be added to anything from pesto to porridge to help provide farmers with a healthy snack that fits around their busy lives.

“It’s so easy when you’re out on a tractor to grab an energy drink that’s full of sugars when actually if you are in a rush and you need something healthy, a pint of milk with a scoop of this mixed into it is much more filling and a healthy way of keeping yourself fuelled and full so you can perform at your best.”

“It’s 100% natural and it comes 100% from the UK, so all of that whey has helped a British farmer or British cheese producer because it’s giving them an extra added value to what is essentially a waste product” Looking ahead, Zoe hopes to extend Better On’s offering to convenience breakfast items such as oat bars and porridge pots as part of her mission to get healthy and nutritional foods to more people.

“It’s about finding ways to produce functional British protein into foods that are on-the-go. Creating products that help consumers stay full, fit and active is the dream for the business.”

Speaking out

But it’s not just physical and nutritional health Zoe is a keen advocate for.

“In terms of being a Student & Young Farmer Ambassador, the mental health side of it has always been quite a prominent thing for me,” she said, pointing to her struggle with anorexia in her teens and the grief of losing her father, who was the sole worker on the family’s suckler herd farm, in 2019.

Zoe, 23, who now runs the mainly arable farm alongside her mother, says helping others by being vocal about her own mental health has been one of her proudest achievements as an ambassador.

“People are realising that we need to talk and it’s okay to be stressed. We still have a long way to go, January 2023

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Zoe Legg mental health in general does, but the younger generation especially is really starting to change that.

Confidence

Zoe also credits the NFU programme for giving her the confidence to launch the business. “I suddenly realised that people would listen to me. I was asking questions and I was learning, and it was okay to not know things and there were people out there that wanted to help. It gave me the confidence to approach people within the industry and say ‘I’m looking to do this’, and if you go with enthusiasm, people will help you.”

She added the programme also enabled her to share and ask questions she would not have been comfortable doing so before because “I was suddenly in an environment where I wasn’t comfortable, but I was still being encouraged to do something.”

“I was able to step out of that comfort zone and realise that actually the change that occurred was positive and so that really gave me the confidence to then do it for something else.”

Zoe also pointed to the fear of failure and said unless you are potentially open to

failure you are never going to learn from your mistakes.

“All of the tractors that have been developed over the past 20 or 30 years, they’ve all come from trying to change something and questioning why are the tyres built like that and why are the gearboxes like this. All of that is driven by questioning and looking for change.”

Comfort zone

But how does Zoe navigate the path between moving beyond her comfort zone, the theme of this edition of Student Farmer, and protecting her own mental health?

“It’s knowing the level to which you personally are happy to push yourself and also having what I call identifiers,” she explained. “I know for a fact that certain things are beyond my comfort zone at a certain time. It doesn’t mean that I’m not looking to improve them... it’s having a long-term goal and then short-term incremental things that you know are going to help you towards that.”

She is also keen to promote mindfulness and applauding your own growth.

“As humans, we’re very good at focusing

Seven top mindfulness tips

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Write down three things you are thankful for at the end of each day.

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Box breathe to relax. Breath in for 4, hold for 4, breath out for 4, hold for 4 etc…

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Listen to a mindful tape (apps such as Insite Timer have loads of free resources).

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Smile at yourself in the mirror when you get out of bed in the morning.

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Repeat a few positive sentences about yourself out loud (if you can do this in the mirror then even better).

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State a few achievable goals that you want to complete for the day out loud.

This is called manifestation.

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Find one small thing that you are looking forward to in the day (this can be as simple as being excited about a TV programme or film you are going to watch).

on the negatives and looking at what we’re striving to, but we forget to look back and realise how far we’ve come.

“For example, if you said to me I’m going to launch a business in a month’s time, that would sound terrifying. But if you said in a month’s time I want you to think of a business idea and then, in two months’ time I want you to have shared that with somebody else and got some feedback, it’s less scary.

“Doing things in stages gives you chance to reflect on how you’re feeling about it.

“That is how I think is best to manage the stress of stepping outside of your comfort zone but also appreciating that you need to try and and make changes.”

Asking for help is key. Zoe said: “I was supported with initial trials by the AgriProject at Harper Adams and also a grant from the Prince’s Trust which helps support young entrepreneurs.”

Zoe’s whey protein is available in 1kg pouches for £50 at www.betteronbritish.co.uk

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HOW TO

Discuss succession sooner rather than later This conversation can be awkward at times but it is an important discussion to have in order to start planning ahead.

Get involved Join a new group/ society. This enables you to meet new people, while developing new skills.

Volunteering is good for your mental health too.

Start a conversation with a stranger Quite the contrary to what you may have been taught growing up, you can learn a lot from speaking to someone you don’t usually talk to and studies have shown that it can even be good for your mental health and theirs.

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STEP OUT OF YOUR COMFORT ZONE If you always play it safe, how do you begin to broaden your horizons?

CASE STUDY

Sophie Bird is a Communications apprentice at the NFU. She speaks about the way she has stepped out of her comfort zone since leaving sixth form in 2022: Once I had completed my A Levels, it bizarrely felt like the pressure was amplified. My peers were anticipating their exam results and hoping to be accepted by their top university. I, on the other hand, hadn’t even applied. The idea of undertaking an apprenticeship had always appealed to me more.

My family were worried about the risks. With my best interests at heart, they nagged me while I was working at Starbucks about my career. I began talking to strangers at the drive-thru window about their job, as they stopped by for their morning coffee. I gained three things from these conversations: knowledge, confidence, and inspiration to kickstart my career.

I came across an NFU apprenticeship. The job had everything I was looking for, and I had eveything they were asking for, except for “knowledge of the food and farming industry”.

Having grown up in an urban area, I had little to no knowledge of agriculture. Nevertheless, I went for it, and it was the best decision I have made.

I have learned an unbelievable amount. I am going to visit some farms soon and I’m looking forward to learning more. I guess what I’m trying to say is that it’s so easy to stay in your ‘comfort zone’, but the truth is that life is more fulfilling when you try new things!

Look into diversification Explore ideas of ways you can input into the farm business – playing to your existing farming experience and knowledge increases your likelihood of success.

Try new things This could be anything from a new sport, hobby, genre of music to trying a different food cuisine. Your calling in life may be something you haven’t tried yet.

Be true to yourself Being true to yourself means that you are completely honest with what you think, feel and value. It might feel more ‘comfortable’ to follow internet trends and to not stand out but you should do what makes you happy and up for what you believe!

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Ambassadors 2023

Meet the new Student and Young Farmer Ambassadors A new cohort of ambitious agricultural leaders gets ready to

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embark upon a year to remember

eet the latest group of ambitious students, farmers and agricultural staff preparing to work with us to represent the future of British farming during 2023, both within the industry and to the wider public.

This is the fourth year of our successful Student & Young Farmer Ambassador Programme. We had nearly 100

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applicants this year, and the quality and diversity of the people we had to choose from was as high as ever.

With a cost of living crisis, labour shortages and the war in Ukraine causing grain supply issues, the coming year will be a challenging one for agriculture and our new team will play a vital role in representing the food and farming industry at a crucial time.

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Ambassasdors 2023 Rhea Auton

22, Northumberland My passion for agriculture has only grown stronger since I began studying at agricultural college in 2016. I am now training to be a land agent while studying at Harper Adams University. During my time as an ambassador, I hope to champion the agricultural industry while meeting other like-minded people.

Emily Marshall

26, Yorkshire I work for Cranswick as agriculture supply chain manager, representing both our producers and retail customers’ interests.

I think one way to shape the future of agriculture is by influencing policy at a governmental level; I hope that the programme will give me the opportunities to learn how I can advocate for UK agriculture in this way.

Hannah Cuthbert

23, Lincolnshire Growing up in rural Lincolnshire, I’ve always had an interest in agriculture which I carried through to my placement year in farm business management.

I’m looking forward to learning about the NFU’s role in lobbying to complement the final year of my politics degree and to showcase the NFU’s work.

Liz Tree

24, Surrey I grew up in Croydon, South London, and became interested in agriculture through lambing in the Brecon Beacons. I have a BSc in Agriculture from Harper Adams University and have benefited from a wide variety of work experience across different farming sectors. I am currently studying for a Master of Research in Agricultural Education at Harper. I am excited to be an ambassador to encourage people from urban and non-farming backgrounds into the industry and to understand how the NFU influences politics to campaign for change.

Thomas McVeigh

26, Suffolk I’m a farmer from Suffolk farming arable crops, poultry and cattle. I am hoping to gain a deep understanding of agricultural policy and lobbying.

I believe this moment in time is crucial for the future of the industry, as many critical themes all converge at once to shape it. As one of only a few young people in agriculture, I feel it’s important to make every effort to be part of the discourse as our future's being shaped by decisions made today.

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Ambassadors 2023 Charlie Cooper-Harding

24, Powys I’m 24, from Llanfyllin in Mid Wales. I currently work for Wynnstay PLC as an area sales specialist. Having not come from a farming background, I have no preconceived views and see everything as an opportunity within agriculture. I can’t wait to mix with like-minded people during the programme and learn a lot about the NFU and its policies.

Evie Rogers

Louise Penn

24, Northamptonshire I am a farmer’s daughter from Northamptonshire, on a mixed farm with arable, sheep and cattle. I work as a farm consultant and agronomist at Ceres Rural, with an interest in regenerative agriculture and soil health.

I want to make a positive and lasting impact on the agriculture industry, and I think that being an NFU ambassador is a great way to start.

20, Shropshire Although not originally from a farming background, I have been involved within the agricultural sector from a young age. My experience primarily consists of sheep and dairy, and my new advisory role consists of mitigating on-farm carbon emissions. Through the NFU ambassador programme, I wish to develop my knowledge and passion for the agricultural industry.

Hamish Evans

24, Somerset I came to regenerative agriculture through an unusual route. After travelling and working on organic farms globally for several years, I returned to my small solar-powered canal boat home in the UK and established a small market garden, which has now grown into a thriving regional, bike-delivered, veg box scheme with 200 subscribers, nine wholesale outlets and employing four full-time livelihoods from 16 acres. I’m excited to champion the ecological necessity and economic viability of small-scale regenerative farming and bring more diverse youth voices into farming and political fields.

Darcy Johnson Amanda Watson

24, County Durham I grew up on an upland/hill farm in the Durham Dales, which began my passion for livestock, and now live in North Yorkshire and work as a livestock technical specialist for Woodhead Bros (Morrisons). I hope to meet new people from a range of backgrounds and learn more about the political influence of the NFU while promoting the British agricultural industry.

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20, Wiltshire Born and raised on a small beef and arable farm in Wiltshire, I am currently in my second year of studies at Harper Adams University. I’m enthusiastic about building a more sustainable industry and promoting what we do through education, developing interest in agriculture, and reaching out to people outside of farming circles.

January 2023

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The Black Farmer

COVER STORY

The dangers of playing it safe Wilfred Emmanuel-Jones MBE, aka The Black Farmer, champions stepping out of your comfort zone and embracing uncertainty

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The Black Farmer

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believe the key thing in life is to have the courage to dream and to dream big,” Wilfred Emmanuel-Jones MBE told the audience at the Royal Agricultural University’s Cirencester campus during his address for the 2022 Bledisloe Lecture.

“One of the themes you will hear in my talks is being bold, being audacious.

This is especially important for people starting off in their life.”

A child of the Windrush generation, Wilfred’s own life has involved making a series of bold choices, from leaving his post as a producer at the BBC to set up his own marketing agency, to buying a small farm on the Devon/ Cornwall border at the age of 40 – fulfilling a promise he made to himself as a youngster growing up in inner city Birmingham, tending his father’s allotment.

“I didn’t know how I was going to do it, but it was a promise lodged into the back of my mind and then every single thing I did was to try and get into the position of getting this farm,” he explained.

Wilfred credits the farm as his “personal purpose” which prevented him from standing still.

“The moment you stand still in life, the moment you think there is certainty, life will pass you by,” he said during the lecture, aptly entitled ‘Jeopardy – the Danger of Playing It Safe’. “It’s really important to stay hungry, never ever think everything is going to stand still. The only thing that will help you do that is to have this personal purpose.”

Passion and focus

For Wilfred, all anyone needs to achieve anything in life – regardless of their background, skin colour, or education – is to be focused and to have passion.

“You need to be ruthlessly focused and what I mean by that is that you’re able to get rid of the white noise of living,” he said.

“The second thing is far more important than the first and that is that you need to have passion. Passion defies reason. It doesn’t add up, it helps you get over all the hurdles,” he explained, advising anyone who is starting out in life to never base decisions on what is rational.

“If you think about it, you will never ever do it. People say to me what does passion mean? I say have you ever seen someone when they’re in love? They do crazy things that don’t add up, that you just wouldn’t understand, they are so driven, and that is what it is. We all know that we have that essence within us to be driven by something, no matter what our friends think.

“The tendency then is to play it safe and therefore not push the boundaries,” he explained, adding it is through pushing those boundaries that growth occurs.

In order to prosper, it’s also acknowledging the fact that failure has to be part of the understanding.

“I can imagine for a lot of the students here, when your parents have done this fantastic thing and then it comes to your turn, you’re really scared of messing it up. But don’t let that stop you, because doing nothing will definitely mess it up. It’s about how you keep pushing yourself and embrace failure as a really important way of learning.”

Crazy dream

“The advice I would give everyone is, if you want to achieve anything, have focus and have passion.”

He also told young farmers during the Q&A session to hold on their crazy dream because “that’s what changes the world” and explained that sometimes, progressing in life may mean stepping outside of everything that is familiar.

“You’ll find that in your personal lives, in business, in order to change, you’ve got to step outside of the community. In order for me to change, I had to step outside of everything that I knew, step outside of my community, to acquire the skills I needed to succeed.”

He added: “You have to be prepared to step outside the comfort zone of having the security of everything around you.

That is what you need to do in order to achieve and big decisions in life will always come to stepping out of other people’s approval.”

Embracing fear

Diversity

“Do not allow fear to stop you achieving your dreams. That’s why you need to have a purpose, a driver, because otherwise you’ll end up in survival mode.”

Equally important is embracing fear.

“Everybody in this audience will have a dream and the one thing that stops them from doing that is fear,” Wilfred said, adding the thing most people fear is uncertainty.

“The only thing in life that is certain is that life is uncertain. We need to make a friend of uncertainty. You have to put your arms around uncertainty, walk into the future and say, ‘I do not know what I might meet, I may not have the knowledge of what I need, but whatever I meet, I will find a way.’”

He added: “Do not allow fear to stop you achieving your dreams. That’s why you need to have a purpose, a driver, because otherwise you’ll end up in survival mode.”

Answering audience questions, Wilfred pointed to the “difficult position” many young farmers face upon inheriting land from their parents and, understandably, not wanting to be the one to make a mess of things.

More broadly, Wilfred is an advocate for getting “diverse Britain” access to land.

“If you are from an immigrant family it is impossible, unless you are filthy rich, to get access to land. The reason why is that most of you, most people, will have land that is handed down through the generations.”

A way around this, Wilfred suggested, is for large institutions that own land to get involved.

“I’m advocating the big institutions say to their land agents, ‘5% of our land, it’s your job to go out and find people from non-traditional farming backgrounds to give them land to try and bring some innovation in’. This industry desperately needs innovation, it desperately needs new blood.”

He added: “We can’t just get away with saying ‘well it’s very difficult to attract people from these backgrounds’.

"I believe we need to reach out to people to invite them.”

January 2023

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Rural crime and padlocks in use at her home.

“It’s cost us about £4,000 for the season, but we had those security systems for peace of mind. Farmers are going to struggle to put their hands into their pockets for that money THEFT OF over something that might stop LAND ROVER thieves, but also might not.

DEFENDERS “There just isn’t spare money.”

COST £2.6M With incidents such as these A rise of 87% on the there is, of course, a financial previous year impact, but there is also the stress and vulnerability farmers experience afterwards.

“Even getting in those tractors the next day gives you a shiver,” says Eveey. “I work on the farm driving the tractors at night and before this I didn’t think anything of it. But now you feel on edge just being out on your own farm.”

A voice for all farmers

Speaking out to combat criminals

Next Generation Forum chair Eveey Hunter has been hitting national headlines as she speaks about her experience of when criminals targeted her farm, and what more needs to be done to tackle rural crime.

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he start of 2022 saw rural crime incidents skyrocket, according to rural insurer NFU Mutual’s Rural Crime Report, after the cost of rural theft in 2021 were estimated at £40.5m across the UK. Eveey Hunter saw her farm fall victim to the rural crimewave when thieves stole GPS components totalling £60,000 the day before the family was due to finish harvest.

“It’s scary. My brother said he felt like they were being watched that night. The next morning, he climbed up into the combine and said over the radio ‘We won’t be doing any farming today’. We didn’t know what he meant at first and then we

saw the screens were gone.

“It’s just such a slap in the face,” Eveey reflects. “The team is effectively running on coffee the whole harvest. You’re out working late, then come back early in the morning to discover this and just think ‘why do we bother?’.

“You’re just trying to produce food, and this is how you get repaid.”

Peace of mind

Eveey says her farm is now protected by 360-degree video and motion detector cameras, as well as security gates that can only be opened by those with preauthorised access, in addition to CCTV

Eveey is urging other farmers to speak out and report their experiences when they’ve been involved in a rural crime incident.

“Policing works on statistics. If you don’t report anything, and don’t talk about it, they can’t put more resource behind it,” she says.

“You have to have a good relationship with your local police. We can help them as much as they can help us.

“Farmers don’t have a choice, we just have to carry on, but it will be a small world within these criminal groups, and that’s why I’m determined to keep pushing it and talking about it as much as possible as they will get caught eventually.

“I’m known to shout quite loudly about things I’m passionate about. A lot of farmers have to deal with theft but don’t feel comfortable being interviewed or going on the news – but I will do that to get the message across and be a voice not just for the next generation, but for all farmers.”

The NFU has been working with Greg Smith MP on the Equipment Theft (Prevention) Bill which, if made into law, would unlock new powers for the Secretary of State to tackle rural crime.

You can read more about the Bill and Eveey’s story at nfuonline.com/ cross-sectors/rural-crime

RURAL CRIME STATS // THE NFU MUTUAL RURAL CRIME REPORT SHOWS THAT...

UP 40%

The cost of rural crime rose by more than 40% in the first quarter of 2022

50%

Rural crime is a concern to 50% of the rural community

£40.5M

Rural theft cost the UK an estimated £40.5m in 2021

49%

49% of respondents said fuel theft is the rural crime they are most concerned about January 2023

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Air Ambulance

Saved from the sky If there's an emergency on farm, the Air Ambulance can be the difference between life and death. Anna Bowen reports on a vital service that relies on charity to survive

A

gricultural engineer Stuart Gallop was helping on his grandfather’s beef and sheep farm in Gloucestershire when his life was saved by the Great Western Air Ambulance in December 2020.

“I was in a man basket doing some tree work when the tree moved and dragged me out of the basket and onto a rusty trailer beneath,” he explains.

“There was an exposed strut sticking out of the trailer bed.

“At the time I was in a lot of pain but didn’t know how bad it was; I had broken my femur and was bleeding out from my femoral artery.”

Stuart fell 15 feet and suffered internal bleeding. When his girlfriend phoned 999, the Great Western Air Ambulance was sent alongside a land ambulance, due to the remote location and the severity of the accident.

The crew dispatched included a critical care doctor, specialist paramedic, and trainee critical care doctor. At the scene they administered blood-clotting drugs, antibiotics and pain relief before transferring Stuart to the land ambulance. He was taken to Southmead Hospital’s major trauma centre where he underwent emergency surgery.

“I was told that my leg would probably be “The Air amputated, but the surgeons managed to save it through a six-hour operation,” says Stuart.

Ambulance “They also carried out an artery transplant is a wonderful to bring blood flow back to my leg.” charity and Stuart was home by Christmas they saved and walking again. Since then, he has my life” undertaken physiotherapy sessions to continue his rehabilitation.

“I’m back working full time in a fairly physical job,” says Stuart.

“I am mechanically fine although I do still feel some pain in my leg and have a wound which is still healing.”

Stuart’s girlfriend Millie is running the Bath Half Marathon in autumn 2022 to raise money for the Great Western Air Ambulance, a fundraising activity she planned earlier but had to postpone due to the pandemic. She has raised nearly £700 so far.

“The Air Ambulance is a wonderful charity and they saved my life,” says Stuart.

“I wouldn’t be here without their work.”

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January 2023

12/01/2023 12:00:32

Air Ambulance

A vital rural service

Critical care teams turn any incident scene into a trauma department

M

ost people in rural areas will know someone, or be connected to someone, who has had their life saved by the services of the Air Ambulance.

Managed by 21 charities across the UK, Air Ambulance helicopters can get to incidents on remote farms within 15 minutes, a fraction of the time it can take for road ambulances.

Farming is a dangerous occupation; the Farm Safety Foundation reports that while the industry accounts for just 1% of the UK’s working population, it is responsible for 18% of all workplace deaths, a figure produced by the HSE. As a dangerous industry often located in remote areas with slow road access, farming is particularly reliant on the Air Ambulance.

Air Ambulance UK is the national charity that supports the work of the 21 regional charities.

Despite working closely with the NHS, the Air Ambulance receives no funding from the government or the health service and is entirely dependent on support from the general public and supportive organisations.

“We work side-by-side with the NHS to provide specialist and critical life-saving care, a vital emergency service that is not part of the NHS or in receipt of day-to-day government funding,” explains Simmy Akhtar, CEO of Air Ambulance UK. “Specialist teams of critical care medics perform life-saving procedures that can mean the difference between life and death, at the scene.”

“As a charity that almost completely relies on donations, we are forever grateful that they keep our critical care teams flying.”

Although farming accidents happen all year round, the charities report that they are more common between April and September.

The main reasons for the Air Ambulance to be dispatched to a farm are road traffic collisions involving tractors and trailers, machinery accidents, animal accidents, and falls.

Air Ambulance Crews

Air Ambulance critical care teams work together, using experience and specialist skills to turn an accident scene into an emergency department.

Consisting of a pilot, critical care paramedics, and specially-trained doctors, crews go through years of additional training to be part of the team.

The nature of Air Ambulance call outs – often to unknown locations with challenging landings, in adverse weather and light conditions, and in a constant fight against time – means that pilots play a vital role and have to be excellent at their jobs to access incidents safely and quickly.

Like many Air Ambulance doctors, Stewart McMorran also works as an NHS consultant, in his case at Musgrove Park Hospital in Taunton.

“Emergency care administered by our Air Ambulance teams saves lives. Our rapid response and ability to turn the scene into an emergency department means we improve patient outcomes,” he says. “When patients arrive at the hospital and we hand over their care to NHS emergency doctors, more often than not we have stabilised the patient and given life-saving critical care.”

“As a critical care team, we perform procedures at the scene such as administering anaesthesia, giving blood, and performing surgical procedures such as a surgical airway, thoracostomy, thoracotomy, and even – though fortunately very rarely – amputation.”

HOW TO MINIMISE RISK IN FARMING As farmers, machinery operators and those who work in the agricultural sector, we know that, sadly, sometimes accidents happen – and unfortunately some are avoidable. But, by taking care of ourselves and others while at work and having safety procedures in place, we could minimise the impact of many of these life-changing events.

Ways to stay safe include making sure you have had training for any machines you operate, that you hold certificates of competence in the safe use of hazardous materials such as pesticides, and ensuring you have considered the risks involved within each task.

Think about the job you are undertaking: what are the dangers involved, do you need a second person, do you have lone working procedures in place?

Be aware of changes in policies and legislation, make sure to complete refresher training and keep up to date with HSE announcements.

Demelza Low, farmer and land-based training advisor at Lowe Maintenance January 2023

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12/01/2023 12:00:40

Mae campws Glynllifon ar ystâd ysblennydd Glynllifon ger Caernarfon yn arbenigo mewn cyrsiau diwydiannau’r tir, yn cynnwys:

Our Glynllifon Campus is based on the stunning Glynllifon Estate near Caernarfon and specialises in a range of land-based courses, including:

• Amaethyddiaeth • Astudiaethau Anifeiliaid • Coedwigaeth a Rheoli Cefn Gwlad • Technoleg Diwydiannau’r Tir • Nyrsio Milfeddygol

• Agriculture • Animal Studies • Forestry & Countryside Management • Land-based Technology • Veterinary Nursing

Rydym yn cynhyrchu da byw ar ein fferm fasnachol 300 erw a saif yng nghanol coetir, parcdir a chynefinoedd bywyd gwyllt, ac ymhlith y cyfleusterau a gynigiwn ar ein campws mae:

Our 300 hectares of commercial livestock farm is surrounded by woodland, park and wildlife habitats, and our campus contains a number of facilities, including:

• Y Ganolfan Astudiaethau Anifeiliaid • Y Ganolfan Beirianneg • Bloc addysgu a gostiodd £7.4M i’w godi • Efelychydd ‘Tenstar’ newydd gwerth £70,000

• Animal Studies Centre • Engineering Centre • £7.4 million teaching block • New £70,000 ‘Tenstar’ training simulator

Bob blwyddyn bydd ein myfyrwyr yn cael canlyniadau rhagorol, ac blwyddyn diwethaf y gyfradd llwyddiant ar ein cyrsiau amaethyddol oedd 100%.

Every year our students achieve excellent results, including last year a 100% pass rate in all agriculture courses.

Coleg Glynllifon: 01286 830 261 Caernarfon LL54 5DU www.gllm.ac.uk/glynllifon ymholiadau.glynllifon@gllm.ac.uk enquiries.glynllifon@gllm.ac.uk

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January 2023

12/01/2023 11:41:18

Mental Health COVER STORY

A helping hand A new term can feel overwhelming, but you are never alone and help is always available

T

he start of the year can be a difficult time with miserable weather, fresh deadlines as the new term gets underway, and the return to routine after the holidays. This can often leave us feeling overwhelmed and powerless, but these are not isolated feelings and anyone struggling is encouraged to ask for help.

Among those on hand is RABI, which recently introduced additional support services following the findings of its Big Farming Survey. Supported by the NFU, the survey showed poor mental wellbeing is a fundamental issue among farmers in England and Wales, with more than a third of people within farming ‘probably’ or ‘possibly’ depressed.

Younger farmers that were surveyed flagged concerns around loneliness.

One-in-ten men and women aged 16-24 reported feeling lonely ‘often or always’.

The gap between men and women was more prominent in the farming community compared to the wider population. Young farmers also admitted they are less likely to confide in others.

Worryingly, 16% of 16–24-year-olds don’t confide in anyone.

RABI provides an under-18 platform called Kooth and a site for over-18s known as Qwell. Around 25% of users of Qwell are under the age of 30. Loneliness, relationships, stress and anxiety are among common inquiries.

RABI’s director of services Caron Whaley said: “Unfortunately, reaching out and asking for help can be perceived as a weakness and remains a barrier for a significant proportion of the farming population, including younger people.”

While Caron is hopeful we’re starting to normalise everyday conversations about how we’re feeling, she said knowing how to start conversations about mental health can be hard. She suggests when checking in on someone, ask them to rate how they’re feeling on a scale of 1-10, rather than letting them respond with ‘I’m fine’ – which “quite often isn’t the case”.

Nathan Shearman, a trained counsellor responsible for heading up RABI’s mental health training programme, added: “Anyone can experience stress, but when juggling studies and farming, those stresses can be physically demanding, as well as mentally draining. A strong and responsible person should never feel

guilty about doing what’s right for themselves. The reality remains that farming can be mentally, physically, and emotionally exhausting. Talking to someone who understands can help to make a difference.”

Breaking the stigma

Elsewhere, while not a mental health charity, Addington Fund supports farming people through tough times which has the potential to relieve associated stress. It is also dedicated to helping young farmers into the industry, recently launching its Young Entrants Scheme. The vision is to help young people farm in their own right, as they are the future of the farming industry. As well as guiding them through their early years within agriculture, the importance of talking about/helping with mental health issues is forefront.

“Young farmers are integral in breaking the stigma of mental health within the agricultural industry,” said Bill Young, chief executive of Addington Fund. “As more awareness is raised, young farmers are/have been exposed more to talking and seeking help. This may be online, social media or face-to-face events etc. through January 2023

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Mental Health

FIND OUT MORE t Alone) YANA (You Are No 00 0300 323 04 RABI 0800 188 4444 dation Farm Safety Foun s) (Yellow Wellie @yellowwelliesuk Helpline The Farming Help 9 99 03000 111 Mind Infoline 0300 123 3393 NFU Directory m/wellbeing www.nfuonline.co

various organisations such as the National Federation of Young Farmers Take Time and the NFU Yellow Wellies Mind Your Head campaigns, as well as by the Farming Help charities, of which the Addington Fund is proud to be a member. All of these, and more, encourage people to talk about mental health and mental health issues for themselves and their peers.”

Speaking out

Meanwhile, a call to the YANA (You Are Not Alone) helpline can unlock six funded counselling sessions. YANA charity manager Emma Haley said: “Studying can be a stressful time for anyone, but when you have extra pressures at home or on the farm it can become overwhelming.”

Among Emma’s tips to help cope during particularly stressful times are keeping up hobbies; maintaining a good sleep routine and diet; staying in touch with friends and family; and making sure to ask for help with difficult tasks you may have been putting off. She also recommends practising techniques such as deep breathing exercises and other mindful activities which can help bring our minds to a rational thinking space.

“The most important thing to remember is that everyone struggles from time to time, but it can be the hardest thing to tell someone,” Emma said. “Being asked if you are okay can give the opportunity to tell someone else. Talking really does help, it might not take the problems away, but it provides many benefits.”

She added: “Young farmers have a great opportunity to lead the way in improving a

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“Finding one or two people to talk to, and check in with, will reinforce good habits that will last a lifetime, and make a positive difference. ” struggling industry that is known for hiding the challenges and mental health problems so many face. It is time to lead by example.

As they say, actions really do speak louder than words. Finding one or two people to talk to, and check in with, will reinforce good habits that will last a lifetime, and make a positive difference.”

The Farm Safety Foundation (Yellow Wellies), meanwhile, supports and raises awareness of UK farmers’ physical and mental wellbeing. Its sixth annual Mind Your Head Campaign runs from 13-17 February, and it has recently updated and expanded its Little Book of Minding Your Head which offers support for anyone struggling with the pressures of farming.

Manager of the Farm Safety Foundation Stephanie Berkeley said: “Young farmers are key to improving attitudes to mental health as 94% of them agree that poor mental health is one of the biggest hidden dangers facing the industry. Educating themselves

about what mental health is – what it looks like, what it sounds like and how to start a conversation with someone who may be struggling - is an important element of this.

“This is why we include a section on mental health in our farm safety training at land-based colleges and universities and have recently launched a brand new NFYFC Minding Your Head training session to start addressing the stigma that is still attached to mental health and let them know that help is available and where to seek it. It is vital that we work together to drive action and support the ongoing mental health of our farmers.

They work long hours every day, through global pandemics and uncertain times, to put food on our plates – but this dedication comes at a price.”

If you have concerns about someone, consider it a medical emergency and contact emergency services on 999.

January 2023

12/01/2023 12:01:17

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12/01/2023 11:41:22

Mental Health

Checking in with yourself and others NFU Community Farming Heroes Andy and Lynda Eadon hope their Five A Day Challenge cards will support young farmers with their mental health

H

the conversation around usband and wife Andy and mental health.

Lynda Eadon won the NFU Based on the 5-a-day concept award for the West Midlands of eating a variety of fruit and region following a nomination vegetables for physical health, from the Rt Hon Sir Jeremy their cards feature five steps to Wright, Conservative MP for Kenilworth help take stock of your mental and Southam, for their campaigning and wellbeing. Available on the fundraising work around mental health. opposite page of this edition of The couple has been dedicated to raising Student Farmer, the cards fit into awareness and funds after their son Len your wallet or purse and also list took his own life last year. Len was a contact details of people you can popular figure in the Napton-on-the-Hill reach out to for help if you, or a community and he often helped his loved one, may be struggling. dad at the family business, F L Eadon “We want everybody, but & Son Farm. particularly younger farmers, to Len was also a talented be aware that a lot of people mechanic who had a degree If you have do struggle with their mental in Rural Enterprise and concerns about health and it’s okay to be Land Management someone, consider open and talk about it,” from Harper Adams it a medical Lynda said.

University in Shropshire.

Andy and Lynda hope by Stratford and South emergency and normalising talking about Warwickshire NFU contact emergency mental health, people will members Andy and Lynda services on 999 increasingly become more have raised more than comfortable with discussing the £83,000 for various charities subject and begin to recognise the signs since January 2022, with the vital of someone struggling and, consequently, funds going to PAPYRUS, The Farm be able to offer support.

Safety Foundation and The Farming “It’s not just about seeing friends and Community Network. asking, ‘how are you’ because they can very While their long-term goal is to see easily say ‘yeah, I’m fine’ and leave it at that. mental health awareness become a It’s about analysing that reaction yourself,” mandatory part of all land-based college Lynda said. “We need to get youngsters and university courses, the couple has talking about mental health and being more developed a Five A Day Challenge open with how they are feeling.” card to raise awareness and open up

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Andy and Len Eadon

When asked if she has a message for young farmers, Lynda said it is vitally important to remember there are always people who can help, no matter how lonely you might be feeling or how badly you might be struggling.

“Remember you are not alone,” she said.

“You have a wide community around you even though a lot of your work is quite isolating. Remember to look after yourself during stressful times and to always reach out to people when you need them.”

January 2023

12/01/2023 12:02:18

LEN’S WISH Please take one of the five-a-day challenge cards.

Families and friends that talk together, stay together so remember to make time to talk and listen every day.

THE FIVE A DAY CHALLENGE KEEP YOURSELF SAFE

DEDICATED TO LEONARD JAMES EADON 14/02/1999 - 01/01/2022

1 Be honest with yourself and those around you 2 Talk openly about daily challenges & LISTEN 3 Care for yourself as well as you care for others 4 Contact that person you’ve been saying you should 5 Plan for the unexpected - make the right choices In Loving Memory of Leonard James Eadon 14/02/1999 - 01/01/2022

1851490.indd 25

12/01/2023 12:02:38

STUDY AT REASEHEATH OPEN DAYS 22/23 Saturday 8 October Saturday 5 November Saturday 3 December Saturday 14 January Saturday 11 February Saturday 25 March

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Saturday 22 April Saturday 10 June www.reaseheath.ac.uk/ course-open-days

COMING SOON T Level in Agriculture, Land Management and Production (with Livestock Production or Crop Production pathways)

26 January 2023 www.reaseheath.ac.uk/agriculture

1851065.indd 26

12/01/2023 11:41:44

UCR

Study at UCR Agriculture Degrees • Foundation Degree in Sustainable Agriculture with Dairy Herd Management • Foundation Degree in Sustainable Agriculture with Livestock Management • Foundation Degree in Sustainable Agriculture with Crop Management • BSc (Hons) Sustainable Agriculture Top-up www.ucreaseheath.ac.uk/agriculture

1851065.indd 27

Open Days 22/23 Saturday 15 October Saturday 12 November Saturday 11 February Saturday 10 June www.ucreaseheath.ac.uk/open-days January 2023

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12/01/2023 11:41:52

Diary dates

Things to do...

10 - 26 February

Dark Skies Festival

Looking for something to take your mind off the long winter nights? Alexander Payne has done the heavy lifting for you.

JANUARY 21 January GFYFC Jax Nightclub Takeover Jax Nightclub, Gloucester Tickets: £7 for members gloucestershireyfc.co.uk 23 January Harper Advance: Students Union, Clubs and Societies Harper Adams University, Newport Tickets: Free harper-adams.ac.uk 26 January Harry Hill Theatre Severn, Shrewsbury Tickets: £36 theatresevern.co.uk

FEBRUARY 1 February Prue Leith - Nothing In Moderation Theatre Severn, Shrewsbury Tickets: £35.20 theatresevern.co.uk 3-12 February Bristol Light Festival Events across the city Tickets: Free bristollightfestival.org 4 February Black Parade – 00s Emo Anthems The Drawing Board and Bluebox, York Tickets: £7 skiddle.com 4 February - 18 March Six Nations Rugby Championship Venues include Cardiff, London and Edinburgh Tickets: £40-150 sixnationsrugby.com 8 February Yorkshire Agricultural Machinery Show York Auction Centre, York Tickets: Free yams.uk.com

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9 February Lincolnshire Farming Conference The Lincolnshire Showground, Lincolnshire Tickets: £6 (students) lincolnshireshowground.co.uk 10 - 26 February Dark Skies Festival North York Moors and Yorkshire Dales National Park Tickets: from £20 darkskiesnationalparks.org.uk 14 February Easy Life 02 Academy Leeds, Leeds Tickets: £29.40 academymusicgroup.com

24 February KT Tunstall York Barbican, York Tickets: From £29.95 yorkbarbican.co.uk

MARCH

17 - 19 February The Great British Shooting Show NEC, Birmingham Tickets: from £25.60 shootingshow.co.uk

2 March Tom Allen: Completely Bedford Corn Exchange, Bedford Tickets: £26.65 bedfordcornexchange.co.uk

22 February Suzanne Vega York Barbican, York Tickets: From £38.05 yorkbarbican.co.uk

4 March Hybrid Minds Dreamland Margate, Kent Tickets: £28.50 dreamland.co.uk

4 - 8 May Badminton Horse Trials Badminton House, Gloucestershire Tickets: £24-£88 badminton-horse.co.uk Badminton Horse Trials, one of the most significant five-star events in the world, is set to return to the beautiful Badminton House estate this May. As usual, it’ll feature a strong mix of dressage, show jumping and cross country, on an Eric Winter-designed course. This year will see the week-long event pushed back a day to accommodate the Coronation of Charles III. Dressage will now feature on the Saturday, rather than the usual cross country, and will start earlier so that everyone will have the opportunity to watch the historic moment. With bigger prizes across the board, course changes, more camping and promises of better WiFi and phone reception, this year’s BHT promises to be bigger and better in every way.

January 2023

12/01/2023 12:02:47

Diary dates

21 - 22 February The National Farmers’ Union Conference The International Convention Centre, Birmingham Tickets: members nfuonline.com

3-12 February

8 March Beans on Toast The Crescent, York Tickets: £18.15 thecrescentyork.com

17 April

Bristol Light Festival

11 March Shame New Century, Manchester Tickets: £19.25 seetickets.com

Frankie Boyle: Lap of Shame

APRIL 1/8/15/22/29 April Bongo’s Bingo + After Party The Buttermarket, Shrewsbury Saturdays Tickets: £13 thebuttermarket.co.uk

The biggest event in the farming calendar is back! The National Farmers’ Union is the largest farmers’ organisation in England and Wales, and over two days it’ll reflect on the past year for agriculture, and look ahead to the biggest challenges and opportunities that 2023 will have to offer. With a wide range of panels, workshops and speeches delivered by those at the very top of both industry and politics, attending this year’s NFU Conference will be essential for those who want to remain fully informed on what’s happening in UK agriculture. Previous conferences have featured fantastic events delivered by party leaders, government ministers, top business CEOs, researchers and academics, authors and more, so there’ll be something for everyone!

14 - 17 March Cheltenham Festival Cheltenham Racecourse, Cheltenham Tickets: from £50 thejockeyclub.co.uk

6 April YFYFC Spring Dance Tickets: tba yfyfc.org.uk

16 April Simon Brodkin Theatre Severn, Shrewsbury Tickets: £26.70 theatresevern.co.uk

24 March Black Honey Bedford Esquires, Bedford Tickets: £14.30 bedfordesquires.co.uk

6 April Garth Marenghi’s Terrortome Assembly Hall Theatre, Tunbridge Wells Tickets: £23 assemblyhalltheatre.co.uk

17 April Frankie Boyle: Lap of Shame Assembly Hall Theatre, Tunbridge Wells Tickets: £29.65 assemblyhalltheatre.co.uk

31 March A live evening with Paddy the Baddy Liverpool St. George’s Hall, Liverpool Tickets: £44.25 stgeorgeshallliverpool.co.uk

8 April SFYFC Easter Ball Ludlow Racecourse, Ludlow Tickets: £20 sfyfc.org.uk

20 April Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs The Crescent, York Tickets: £16.50 thecrescentyork.com January 2023

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Lord Mayor's Show 2022

Come and see the parade Farming took to the capital’s streets for the Lord Mayor’s Show... and the 2021/22 Student and Young Farmer Ambassadors were leading the way

F

arming got a second showcase in the capital in short order – and a warm welcome from around 500,000 Londoners – when the NFU followed up Back British Farming Day with an appearance at the Lord Mayor’s Show on 12 November.

It joined forces with Red Tractor, Massey Ferguson, the Surrey Docks Farm charity and the Worshipful Company of Farmers, which continued its 70th anniversary celebrations at the famous parade.

70 years of farming Their joint entry demonstrated the dramatic changes in farming during the past 70 years and included Massey Ferguson tractors from 1952, a ‘Little Grey Fergie’, and from 2022, a cutting-edge 8S.205. The latter pulled a seven-metre trailer showing the industry as it was then and is now and was laden with superb produce.

The NFU’s ever-enthusiastic Student and Young Farmer Ambassadors were on hand to give the crowds a taste of farming’s future – and led the way on a social media effort that saw #BackBritishFarming reach 10 million people on the day. Around half a million people lined the streets, with millions more watching the live television coverage.

NFU Deputy President Tom Bradshaw said the parade provided a “wonderful opportunity to demonstrate how farmers proudly produce sustainable, climate-friendly food while playing a vital role protecting the great British countryside”.

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January 2023

12/01/2023 12:03:15

Politics

Change is coming

Student and Young Farmer Ambassador Hannah Cuthbert talks about how politics affects agriculture and the rural community

G

rowing up in the rural Lincolnshire Wolds, I always had an awareness of the rural community and its challenges.

However, with a keen interest in current affairs, I decided to study politics at university, albeit with an eye to pursuing rural issues. So, I tailored some of my university assignments to rural policy, including a report on the NFU’s lobbying role.

As a member of both Lincolnshire Young Farmers and Bedfordshire Young Farmers, I was given many opportunities through events and competitions to develop my rural awareness. This led to me securing a placement year at Brown&Co, working on the Defra Future Farming Resilience Fund (FFRF).

The FFRF aims to support farmers through the agricultural transition period as the Basic Payment Scheme (BPS) reduces and new schemes such as Environmental Land Management schemes (ELMs) come into place.

Brown&Co provided support to 750 farmers in this interim phase with recruitment for the main phase, which will run for three years, starting now.

The free advice starts with an on-site visit with an Agricultural Business Consultant to ensure farmers are aware of all the available options, discussing specific details of their business. A report is then produced based on the findings.

It is an extremely critical time for farmers as the ‘safety net’ that BPS provides is reducing and it is Get in touch: important that all farmers are aware of the changes LinkedIn: that are coming. This has come amid considerable /hannah-cuthbert post-Brexit uncertainty in the farming community.

I secured my placement which gave me the Email: opportunity to work in the agricultural sector hannahcuthbert9 at a challenging time of change. It has allowed @gmail.com me to research and follow rural policy developments, something I have really enjoyed, and, in turn, widened my knowledge and understanding of the agricultural industry.

I have learned a great deal. No two farms are the same and I realise that keeping abreast of the policy changes can be challenging. Applying this to real-life scenarios, real people whose e. livelihoods and families are directly FFRF is FREE advic affected, has been extremely helpful in my the It gives farmers understanding of the issues. k opportunity to as For example, I was surprised at just how rt questions to expe much farmers are affected by the transition k to consultants, spea period. I didn’t realise just how important e se other farmers to BPS was as an income stream. g, in what they are do As a result of the work I have been doing, m fro t as well as benefi I have been able to build a rapport with o-t webinars with up hundreds of farmers across England and hear date information. their experiences first-hand.

I have also seen a wide range of diversifying options to replace BPS. Options aiming to generate income in new ways include business ventures ranging from dogwalking parks to glamping and even maze attractions.

I had not realised the implication of diversification to farmers, not only financially but emotionally, which has been a real eye-opener for me. Many of the discussions carry enormous emotional weight. For instance, the idea of succession can be a challenging one and, when that isn’t possible, the prospect of selling a business which may have been in the family for generations can be extremely difficult.

After my placement year finished, I stayed in Bedfordshire working a harvest at Bedfordia in the grain lab. I have been able to pair my policy and officebased knowledge with some more practical and handson experience with the grain sampling and other tasks.

I then completed five weeks at Fisher German on their Summer Placement Scheme working in Rural Estate and Land Management. I will then complete my dissertation on devolved government’s approaches to rural policy post-Brexit. I will definitely need some farmer/landowner/professional opinions, so please get in touch if you have something to share.

I would really encourage anyone to undertake a placement year, internship or work experience. I will be completing two weeks later this month with Savills.

The industry is placing so much emphasis on the younger generation and are willing to invest in us. I’ve been extremely lucky to learn from some incredible people and I’m looking forward to being able to put this in to practice in my career. My placement year opened so many doors and gave me with skills for my final year of university and for every day life. I am so grateful for the opportunities and would like to thank everyone who has invested time and effort in me.

January 2023

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Agriculture ■ Agricultural Engineering Animal Studies ■ Arboriculture & Tree Management ■ Ecology & Land Management ■ Equine Science & Management ■ Floral Design ■ Garden Design ■ Horticulture ■ Landscape Architecture ■ Sports Coaching, Golf, Cricket, Football, Rugby, Basketball, Sports Massage, Strength and Conditioning ■ Motorsports ■ Sportsturf ■ Veterinary Nursing ■ Zoology ■ ■

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(INCORPORATING DERBYSHIRE LAND-BASED TRAINING AND ASSESSMENT COMMITTEE & OCKBROOK TRAINING SERVICES) Registered Charity No 505745 NPTC City & Guilds Centre No 741174 Telephone or Text 01623 812641/07970415211 Email jackie.twilley@btinternet.com Website www.ockbrooktraining.net & www.derbyshirelandskills.org.uk

PROVIDER OF QUALITY LANDBASED TRAINING SINCE 1975 CITY & GUILDS NPTC CERTIFICATES OF COMPETENCE AND LANTRA AWARDS SAFE USE OF PESTICIDES SAFE USE OF CHAINSAWS TRANSPORT OF ANIMALS TRACTOR DRIVING, SHEEP DIPS, VETERINARY MEDICINES, FORKLIFT TRUCK & TELESCOPIC HANDLER, ATV’S. BRUSHCUTTERS/TRIMMERS, BRUSHWOOD CHIPPERS, MOWERS, MOLE CONTROL AND MANY MORE

Myerscough College’s Degree programmes are validated by the University of Central Lancashire

OPEN MORNINGS Saturday 4th February and 18th March • 10.00am-1.00pm To receive a prospectus call 0800 652 5592

or visit www.myerscough.ac.uk

AGRICULTURAL & BUSINESS MANAGEMENT CONSERVATION LEGISLATION AND TECHNICAL SUBJECTS Enterprise Groups for Arable Crops and Vegetables also available FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT JACKIE TWILLEY REGISTERED WITH LANTRA, CITY & GUILDS, UK RURAL SKILLS, and MEMBERS OF C.D.S. TRAINING

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Preston • Lancashire MyerscoughColl

@myerscoughcoll

January 2023

12/01/2023 11:42:17

Remote working

APPLY TODAY!

Wish you were here?

A farming couple on a remote Scottish island are searching for a plucky pair to help with their flock of rare-breed sheep in exchange for a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity

T

eresa Probert and her husband Simon have farmed their flock of North Ronaldsay sheep on the remote 250-acre island of Auskerry, Orkney, for more than four decades.

However, age and recent ill-health have made isolated farming life increasingly difficult, and the pair – who have developed a successful business selling handmade and woven products from the wool, as well as cured sheepskin rugs – are searching for two individuals to help run the island for a couple of months during the spring in a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

“We’ve all made so many wonderful memories over the years here,” Teresa said. “It’s a stunning place. There is no intrusion from vehicles or pollution. The air is clear and the sound of the waves, wildlife and sheep walking on the shore is very calming.

“We’ve made our life here for more

than 45 years, and now we want to share it with people who will love it too.”

The island is home to around 600 North Ronaldsay sheep, a rare native breed that eat seaweed and live largely on the beach.

The flock is described as “incredibly hardy” and live completely hefted to the fields.

Shearing is among the jobs the couple will need help with, in addition to roofing and maintenance around the island, which has no mains power, water or established transport links. Electricity is generated through solar panels and small wind turbines, while drinking water is collected from a natural spring, and travel off the island is organised with local charter boatmen.

With WiFi at the couple’s home, the idea is that interested parties could combine remote working and/or studying with helping out on the farm and enjoying the beauty of its surroundings.

“The successful applicants will need to

be resilient to the realities of living off-grid where resources are precious and limited,” Teresa explained.

“We will provide accommodation at our family home to begin with, but the option to move into a two-bedroom flat once used by lighthouse keepers may also be possible.”

In addition to being an area of special scientific interest, with seabirds including puffins and storm petrels calling it home every year, Auskerry is said to have sites of archaeological importance, including a neolithic burnt mound and a ruined 12th century church.

Teresa and Simon’s son, Hamish Auskerry, added: “So many people we talk to say ‘I would love to live somewhere like that’ and this is an opportunity for someone to do just that.”

Interested?

For more details contact lifeonauskerry@gmail.com January 2023

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12/01/2023 12:03:47

Don't Get Scurvy

Take one chicken...

This instalment of Don’t Get Scurvy anticipates that 2023 will find you cash and time poor and looking for the easiest way to get food inside you...

Assuming that your fuel bill won’t stand a lengthy roast and you are probably using your oven to store books, your best bet is to let your local supermarket take the strain and grab a rotisserie chicken. If you are like me, your first instinct will be to shred the meat and eat it with a warm French baguette. But after that, the world is your oyster – here are some serving suggestions.

1

Chicken and veg

If you are on a health kick, microwave, boil or steam vegetables to accompany your chicken. Add pasta and pesto, if you are feeling fancy, or broil a chicken breast with mushrooms, tiny onions, bacon lardons and leftover red wine if you are feeling French.

2

Chicken curry

Speaks for itself. You can use a pre-prepared sauce, but my mate’s mum, Amrit, swears by onions, a can of tomatoes, garlic and spices. Feel free to bulk it out with chickpeas, mushrooms, spinach or peppers to build up to your five-a-day. Coconut milk and chicken stock can form the base of a creamier curry. Once you have your curry you can: • serve with naan/rice in the traditional manner; • serve leftovers with a jacket potato for lunch; • wrap a creamy curry in tortillas, cover with cheese and leftover sauce and bake in the oven. Curry enchiladas – they shouldn’t work but they do.

3

Chicken fajitas

Make the chicken go further by bulking it out with plenty of veg; can actually be quite healthy if you don’t overdo the cheese.

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You will need: •

• • •

4 5 6

A rotisserie chicken from one of the nation's supermarkets Sundry spices Diverse carbs A certain number of vegetables

Chicken risotto

Shredded chicken can be added to Aborio rice and chicken stock along with asparagus, peas, ham or mushrooms.

Quick noodles

Colleague Tom swears by adding sweetcorn and chicken to a pot of instant noodles.

Chicken pasta

Apparently, in Italy there is no such thing as a chicken pasta dish. But if you are not a purist, a chicken and chorizo pasta bake is a good idea, or penne with a creamy garlic sauce.

January 2023

25/01/2023 11:29:46

How to save money

BUY FOOD IN THE EVENING AFTER IT IS REDUCED IN PRICE

Yellow sticker and reduced food are a good way to save money on things you would be buying anyway.

USE STUDENT DISCOUNTS TO YOUR ADVANTAGE Sign up to student discount websites such as UNiDAYS and Student Beans.

OPEN A STUDENT BANK ACCOUNT

There is a range of different accounts with different benefits – find the right one for you.

BUDGET

Get super organised by creating categories e.g. food, travel, leisure, savings etc.

STOP ORDERING TAKEAWAYS

Cook your favourite meal but double/triple the ingredients and freeze what you don’t eat.

This way, when you’re feeling lazy you won’t have to cook.

MAKE TRANSPORT CHEAPER

Train tickets are often cheaper when you own a railcard. Try walking or sharing lifts and opt for a bus over a taxi.

PRE-DRINK

TO SAVE MONEY AS A STUDENT NFU Apprentice Sophie Bird gives her top tips to make your money go further in 2023

BUY BOOKS SECOND HAND OR GET THEM FROM THE LIBRARY

Most textbooks you need will be available in the library – reserve them early so you don’t miss out!

Buy a bottle of alcohol and a mixer between you and your friends instead of spending £50 on cocktails on a night out.

REDUCE YOUR BILLS

Heat yourself not the room with an electric blanket. Turn lights off. Shower at the gym.

Charge phones at the library/ on the train.

SIGN UP TO AN NFU STUDENT AND YOUNG FARMER MEMBERSHIP

Join for free and benefit from access to industry experts, regular magazines and money-saving offers.

January 2023

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12/01/2023 12:04:02

We need farmers to take part in paid market research Have your say on the important issues facing farming today. Sign up to our Opinion Harvester panel to take part in online surveys, telephone interviews and focus groups.

Sign up today at www.opinionharvester.com

Next edition of

07487 510407 | hello@fmresearch.co.uk | www.fmresearch.com

Student Farmer out April 2023

Please contact Scott Keyes on 07917 909 530 or email Scott.keyes@nfu.org.uk for advertising opportunities

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Ash Tree Farm

Rouncil Lane

Beausale

Warwick

CV34 7AL

January 2023

12/01/2023 11:42:21

S &Y F A M B A

S S A D O R TA

K E OV E R E D

ITION

The magazin e for young farm ers September 2022

MENTAL HEALTH

Strike the right balance

Friendship, all

r farm

bassadorship 22 May 20

Join the largest and most influential farming association and receive: • Student Farmer magazine and British Farmer & Grower or Farming Wales magazine delivered to your door • The latest news and briefings from our policy experts in NFU Bulletin and sector-specific and regional e-newsletters • Discounted member rates to attend NFU Conference and other events • Access to member-only content on NFUonline and the NFU App with a unique login • 10% saving on B+E Trailer Training • Welfare of Animals in Transport test for £35 (+VAT) • 15% off airport parking and hotels with APH • Savings on Dickies Workwear online • Huge savings on Merlin Entertainment (Alton Towers, Thorpe Park and more) • Save up to 25% on ATV helmets and safety clothing from Spada.

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IT’S FREE YOU SAY?

NFU Student & Young Farmer membership is free to students and YFC members. It allows you to have a say and to contribute towards the future of agriculture, and you will benefit from access to experts in policy, food and farming, plus bonus perks!

yship and am

DIVERSIFICAT ION Spreading the risk on you

Sign up

THE LIDT LIFTING IAMEN ce ON PARL uen can infl ions How you ent decis governm

CRISIS INE UKRAIN ng, how happeni What's ed and is affect ing farming NFU is do what the

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SIX REASONS TO JOIN It's open to all students and YFC members who are under the age of 27

Student Farmer and British Farmer & Grower or Farming Wales magazines delivered to your door

Invitations to NFU meetings and discounted rates to NFU Conference

Keep up to date with a unique login to nfuonline.com and NFU newsletters

Discounts on trailer training, WATO test, Spada and Merlin Entertainment

Have your say and contribute towards the future of British farming!

Follow us on social media

@studentfarmer

SCAN THE QR CODE TO JOIN

or visit nfuonline.com/student or call 0370 428 1401

January 2023

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12/01/2023 12:04:28

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12/01/2023 12:04:48

Grow your career with a WCUC degree Warwickshire College and University Centre (WCUC) was launched as a new university centre by Warwickshire College Group in 2021. WCUC will expand its degree level provision, which is already delivered across six colleges in Warwickshire and Worcestershire.

The new university centre follows on from WCG becoming the first college group in the UK to be granted Bachelor degree awarding powers by the Office for Students, alongside the Foundation degree awarding powers already in place.

This includes Royal Leamington Spa College, Evesham College, Rugby College, Moreton Morrell College, Pershore College and Warwick Trident College. Degrees taught at Moreton Morrell continue to be awarded by Coventry University.

• Agri-Tech

• Animal

• Veterinary Nursing

• Canine

• Veterinary Physiotherapy

• Business

• Equine

Visit an in-person Open Events to find out more: • Moreton Morrell College // Saturday 4 February, 10am – 1pm • Pershore College // Saturday 11 February, 10am – 1pm

To book your place, visit:

Powered by

wcuc.ac.uk/degreeopenevents January 2023

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12/01/2023 11:42:30

ALL-NEW, ALL-ELECTRIC FIAT 500 UP TO 199 MILE RANGE †

ACCESS EXCLUSIVE OFFERS WITH THE FIAT PRIVILEGE PROGRAM* Fiat UK is delighted to offer exclusive discounts to eligible NFU members* across its model range, as well as exceptional deals on new Jeep, Alfa Romeo, Abarth and Fiat Professional vehicles with the FCA Privilege Program.

Offering a wide choice of models to suit any budget, the scheme provides a range of finance options to make your new vehicle purchase even more affordable.

For more information visit fcaprivilegeprogram.co.uk

These figures were obtained after the battery had been fully charged. The New Fiat 500 is a battery electric vehicle requiring mains electricity for charging. There is a new test for fuel consumption, CO2 and electric range figures. The electric range shown was achieved using the new test procedure.Figures shown are for comparability purposes. Only compare electric range figures with other cars tested to the same technical procedures. These figures may not reflect real life driving results, which will depend upon a number of factors including the starting charge of the battery, accessories fitted (postregistration), variations in weather, driving styles and vehicle load. †

*Member eligibility rules and terms and conditions apply. All vehicles offered are subject to availability. The Privilege Program prices include VAT, road fund licence, first registration fee, delivery and number plates. Fiat Chrysler Automobiles UK Ltd reserves the right to alter, amend or withdraw prices and offers without notice. The Privilege offers cannot be used in conjunction with any other offers or incentives, including retail, Affinity and Privilege Program consumer incentives.

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12/01/2023 11:42:34