#STUDENTFARMER - Schools Edition - Autumn 2015

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05/10/2015 13:50

Autumn 2015

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WHY IS FARMING THE BEST JOB IN THE WORLD? H OW TO GET INTO FARMING SMASH THE STEREOTYPES BATTLE OF THE SECTORS FACTS ABOUT FARMING FROM FAME TO FARM CAREERS IN AGRICULTURE A DAY IN THE LIFE FARMING SIDEKICKS POSTER

Welcome to the first ever #studentfarmer edition especially for schools. If you’re wondering who on earth we are, we’re a team of people who’re determined to buck the trend and shout about how cool farming is.

You’ve probably heard all kinds of stereotypes including the one where farmers are old and wear tweed – ALL WRONG. We want to bust them, and show you just how great farming is and why you should consider a career in agriculture. You don’t need to be from a farming background, and you definitely don’t need to conform to any stereotype – all you need is a hardworking attitude and the determination to succeed. There’s nothing tying you down in agriculture, and we’re here to show you that the world is your oyster. Farming is one of the most innovative and dynamic industries out there - and we want you.

Thank you to…

Steph Baxter for the cutest front cover we’ve ever had. It’s a puppy in a flatcap – what’s not to love?

Published by: NFU, Agriculture House, Stoneleigh Park, Stoneleigh, Warwickshire, CV8 2TZ

Filled with words by: Ben Pike, Victoria Wilkins and Emily Cole

Designed by: John Cottle

Victoria Wilkins Deputy Editor of #studentfarmer Email: studentfarmer@nfu.org.uk Facebook.com/StudentFarmer Twitter: @studentfarmer

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To advertise contact: Alan Brown alan.brown@nfu.org.uk

05/10/2015 15:14

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WHY FARMING IS THE BEST JOB IN THE WORLD Being involved in agriculture is one of the most incredible things you can do with your life. Here are ten reasons you need to consider a career in farming. need feeding – that’s a challenge that’s down to farmers. Are you up for the challenge?

and include a company vehicle and accommodation benefits.

We are world leaders

You don’t have to wait forever to get your chance to work on the farm.

There are lots of things you can get involved in from a young age. You can even drive certain tractors at the age of 16.

British farmers are among the best in the world when it comes to caring for their animals and the food they produce. They have strict guidelines to follow which sets the standard across Europe and further afield.

You can be there when lambs are born and take their first milk from their mother. You can be there when a herd of cows get their first taste of fresh grass. You can be there when the annual harvest gets underway in the sunshine. Who else gets to experience these moments?

Courses in agriculture have one of the highest rates of graduate employment in the UK. Nearly all successful agriculture students go straight into employment or further studies.

There are lots of us The farming and food sectors combined employ 3.8 million people, accounting for over 13% of all employees in the UK.

Farming has an amazing future The world is growing at a rapid rate, and the world’s population is expected to reach nine billion by 2020. All of these hungry mouths

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You can protect the countryside Most people take the countryside for granted when they’re out walking, cycling or visiting rural Britain. But without farmers looking after fields, hedgerows, birds and other wildlife, can you imagine what it would look like?

See the moments that others never see (and treasure them)

It’s for the ambitious and talented (that means you!)

You can start young

Food is important to all of us What would happen to the world if farmers stopped producing food? Be part of something. Think about a career in farming.

You can drive big kit New tractors and farm machinery cost a staggering £100,000 and more, and you get to take the wheel. If you’re interested in machinery that’s at the cutting edge of technology, working on a farm could be for you.

There’s money to be earneD Did you know that some of the top employees who work with herds of cattle can earn more than teachers? Some salaries are between £30,000 and £50,000

05/10/2015 13:51

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#studentfarmer

how to get into

farming

If you think you’ve got to have a farm to get into the industry, you’re wrong. Education can play a massive part in your future

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et’s get one thing straight: a career in agriculture does not mean you have to be a farmer.

It’s one of the broadest industries in the world and relies on top-class scientists, engineers, vets, mathematicians and even politicians.

Your choice of college course is important to you, but there are many subjects which you can study and still leave a career in agriculture open to you.

Of course you don’t have to go to college – you can go travelling or learn on the job and earn money at the same time as an apprentice.

We asked the 2015 intake at Harper Adams University about what they did before heading to begin studies at in Shropshire.

Ashleigh Burkitt Lancashire lass Ashleigh wanted to combine her two favourite things.

WHAT DID YOU STUDY BEFORE? I studied A-levels in biology, chemistry and history.

WHAT’S NEXT? I’m studying a BSc in veterinary nursing and practice management.

HAVE YOU THOUGHT ABOUT YOUR CAREER? I hope to start a career in nursing or management.

WHY FARMING? It combines my two favourite things. Helping owners by helping their animals pleases me, and managing a practice is ambitious and gives me something to aim towards and would also allow me to have more influence.

Beth Burrough

Ellis Gordon

Beth has always had a passion for food and farming and wants to know more about British food.

Country lad Ellis believes that working in the countryside is the best job in the world.

WHAT DID YOU STUDY BEFORE?

WHAT DID YOU STUDY BEFORE?

I did business studies, English literature and hospitality at college.

I studied agriculture at college.

WHAT’S NEXT?

I am studying a BSc in agriculture.

I’m studying a BSc in food and consumer studies.

HAVE YOU THOUGHT ABOUT YOUR CAREER? I’m hoping this course will give me some more ideas on a career but at the moment I’m either thinking agri-journalism or food retail.

WHY FARMING? Because I live on a farm myself, so it’s always been my passion and part of my background.

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WHAT’S NEXT? HAVE YOU THOUGHT ABOUT YOUR CAREER? I am hoping to develop a career in either farm management or the agricultural advisory sector.

WHY FARMING? I truly believe there is nothing more satisfying than working outside in the Great British countryside. Whether it’s caring for livestock or harvesting and growing crops. I have always been a country lad – I love it.

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Sean Jeffreys

Will Hodgkins

Sheep was all Sean thought about.

Now he’s surrounded by them.

Will knew from the get-go that he wanted to work on the family farm.

That’s why he put the hard work in.

WHAT DID YOU STUDY BEFORE? I studied an extended diploma in agriculture.

WHAT’S NEXT?

WHAT DID YOU STUDY BEFORE? I studied geography, IT, PE and biology in my A-levels.

I’m studying a BSc agriculture with marketing.

WHAT’S NEXT?

HAVE YOU THOUGHT ABOUT YOUR CAREER?

HAVE YOU THOUGHT ABOUT YOUR CAREER?

I’m looking into the farm advisory route and carrying on my family farm of pedigree Balwen and Torddu sheep.

My career aspirations currently revolve around farm management on either a beef, dairy or sheep farm.

WHY FARMING?

WHY FARMING?

I chose agriculture as a career as it’s what I love and live for. I also take my studies very seriously, talking to tutors and looking up information for my assignments, especially about sheep.

Philip Chalcraft

I realised at around seven or eight that farming was all I wanted to do, and ever since that point I have spent every weekend working with my uncle on the family beef and sheep farm, as well as working part time during my school holidays on a bigger dairy farm close to my mum’s house.

Versatility within the industry is what Philip loves the most, as well as the travelling, of course.

Tom Oatley

WHAT DID YOU STUDY BEFORE? I didn’t go to college, but I was interested in the sciences and geography in high school. I also completed a gap year programme called Quest Africa which involved working with cattle, goats, horses and game. On this course I specialised in livestock management and graduated the course with honours.

WHAT’S NEXT? I am studying a FDSC in agriculture

HAVE YOU THOUGHT ABOUT YOUR CAREER? I know I want to go into the agricultural sector. Part of the reason I chose agriculture was because of the versatility.

WHY FARMING? I would like to be able to give something back to Zambia, where I grew up. As I was brought up with a rural lifestyle, and with Zambia’s agricultural potential, I believe that with a little hard work I can help feed the world’s growing population and help the country that raised me realise its potential.

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I’m studying a BSc in agriculture

Even though Tom grew up on a farm he knew that versatility was the way forward. Now he’s got plenty of options to choose from.

WHAT DID YOU STUDY BEFORE? I studied a level three extended diploma in agriculture.

The apprenticeship route If studying full-time is not your thing and you prefer to learn by getting stuck in, an apprenticeship may be the way to go.

WHAT IS AN APPRENTICESHIP? It’s a package of learning that mixes on and off-thejob learning to gain skills and knowledge. You can start as soon as you are 16.

IS IT A JOB? It’s a partnership between you, an employer and a training provider. It takes up to four years to complete, depending on the level of qualification you want to achieve.

WHAT ABOUT STUDYING AT COLLEGE? You’ll typically spend a day a week at college for the duration of the apprenticeship to learn other skills outside the on-thejob training.

WHAT CAN YOU LEARN?

I’m studying rural enterprises and land management.

Lots of things. How about training to be a farm worker, tractor driver, livestock handler, pig technician or chick hatchery expert? There’s loads!

HAVE YOU THOUGHT ABOUT YOUR CAREER?

DO YOU GET PAID?

I am thinking of having a career as a land agent or chartered surveyor, but I would also like to do some work as an auctioneer.

Yes, you do. Although you are an apprentice, you are actually working for the company so you earn a wage. It is claimed that apprentices earn about £100,000 more in their lifetime than those who are unqualified. You also qualify for holiday leave.

WHAT’S NEXT?

WHY FARMING? Because I lived and grew up on a farm. I have worked on the farm for a number of years now but I don’t want to go straight into farming. I thought doing a job related to agriculture would be more interesting.

FIND OUT MORE

Visit www.ucas.com to view a list of undergraduate courses.

WHERE DO I GO TO FIND OUT MORE? Apprenticeships are often advertised on recruitment websites. Most good agricultural colleges will run the schemes too, so get in touch with your local college to find out more.

05/10/2015 15:31

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#studentfarmer

Smash those

stereotypes Think you know what farming’s like? Think again.

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tereotyping can be a dangerous thing. It can make you feel like you know someone or something before you’ve actually had the chance to experience it for yourself.

While the word ‘farming’ conjures up lots of great images of the countryside and animals, it also has some associations

which are complete nonsense, and we want to bust them.

OK, it’s true, some farmers do wear tweed jackets, flat caps and wellies. We don’t dispute that. But do you think farming is old fashioned, muddy and low paid?

We thought we’d take a look at some of these sterotypes and tell you what life is actually like in the agricultural world.

Get off my land!

Once upon a time there was a stereotype that farmers didn’t like people coming on to their farm. That’s completely changed now, and the industry is one of the most open sectors you will come across. Open Farm Sunday, which is held on one day each year, sees tens of thousands of people visiting farms to learn about what happens in the fields, to ride on a tractor and taste some of the amazing produce that farmers grow.

FArming is low-tech

Actually, farming is really reliant on computers, data, satellites and robots these days. All around Britain you’ll find dairy farms where the cows are milked with robots, arable farmers where combine harvesters steer themselves, and sheep farms where each animal is electronically tagged so farmers can store all sorts of information about them. So this is hugely wrong.

Farming is only for those who are born into a farming family

Nope. There are loads of people who never went anywhere near a farm when they were younger and now they have their own farming businesses. Take Matthew Sharp for example. He wasn’t born into a farming family, and after going to university to study agriculture he’s now got a farm with beef cattle, pigs and sheep near Newcastle.

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Farming is an old-fashioned industry which is not important Girls can’t farm

This one is a huge myth which should definitely be busted. People like Sophie Barnes got hooked on sheep at the age of just 17 and now she’s travelling the world with her new-found passion. She’s currently spending a year in New Zealand looking after flocks of sheep and making sure they all deliver their lambs and rear them safely. And then there’s Minette Batters – she’s the Deputy President of the National Farmers’ Union – who speaks on behalf of 50,000 farmers. Plus, the number of female undergraduates entering agriculture and forestry courses increased by 12% between 2010 and 2011.

Farming isn’t fashionable

Do you think Alex James from Blur isn’t fashionable? What about TV’s Jimmy Doherty, Matt Bellamy from Muse, England rugby players Tom and Ben Youngs or England cricket captain Alastair Cook? They’re all farmers, you know, and they’re pretty high profile.

Farming is low paid

The average starting salary is no different to that of other graduates but there are great opportunities to earn really good money, be that by running your own farm business or training in a profession that the industry really values.

What could be more important than food? We all eat it and the population is rising. There are a lot of mouths to be fed. At present, we only grow about 60% of the food that we eat in the UK – that means there is a long way to go before this country is completely selfsufficient. The food and farming sector employs 3.5m people in the UK which is nearly one in every seven jobs.

It’s all tractors, cows and mud

The farming industry is so broad these days – you don’t have to be an actual farmer to be part of it. You could be a great scientist who studies animal or plant genetics, an engineer who can make machines for farms or even an adviser who talks to farmers about how to grow the best crops. We’re not saying you don’t need a pair of wellies, but it’s not all about hands-on farming.

farmers aren’t well educated

It’s a lonely job

There are few communities like the farming family. Farms have to be out in the countryside, but that doesn’t mean they’re in the middle of nowhere. There’s a great social side to being a farmer including the chance to join the National Federation of Young Farmers Clubs (NFYFC) where you can learn great skills, socialise and travel with like-minded people. Every year the NFYFC hosts an AGM where members meet each other. Even Radio 1’s Chris Stark and Scott Mills attend!

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The great thing about farming is that it suits a variety of people – those who are good with practical things, like designing and making things, and those who are good at the theory side.

There are jobs for everyone, but it’s certainly not a career for those who don’t want to work hard or those who failed at school. Agricultural courses at college and university only take on the best people who have pride and ability in what they do. 98 per cent of first degree graduates at Harper Adams University are either in work or doing further study. What were we saying about farmers and education again?

05/10/2015 13:55

Autumn 2015

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#STUDENTFARMER PRESENTS

BATTLE SECTORS OF THE

WHICH WILL YOU CHOOSE?

✪ ✪ ✪ ✪ ✪ THE MAIN EVENT ✪ ✪ ✪ ✪ ✪

CORN V HORN SLUDGE MATCH

ENRICHED CHICKEN CAGE MATCH

PIG DADDY The Combine King v V The Muckspreader The Uddertaker EAR TAG TEAM MATCH

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05/10/2015 13:58

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✪ ✪ ✪ ✪ ✪ ✪ ARABLE ✪ ✪ ✪ ✪ ✪ ✪ had contributed to it. I do most of the tractor driving on the home farm over the summer – that’s where I got the interest from.

I’VE GOT A FULL-TIME JOB LINED UP FOR NEXT YEAR WORKING FOR A CONTRACTOR. As I’ve already had past experience I can go in higher up, so hopefully there will be lots of opportunities. Then I’m going to do higher education at Bridgwater. At some point I’d like to travel – I’m interested in an eight-month programme to Ohio.

YOU CAN MAKE ARABLE FARMING WHAT YOU WANT. You could just drive a machine around a field, but I’d rather think about what I’m doing and try to make it as efficient as possible. I’m interested in grass – I like understanding how it grows and making it grow well.

PHIL HANNAFORD Level 3 Extended Diploma in Agriculture (arable and machinery option), Bridgwater College

THE MACHINERY ASPECT OF FARMING IS WHAT I ENJOY – I’VE ALWAYS BEEN PRACTICALLY MINDED. I don’t want to lose touch with the stock side of things, but I enjoy machinery more.

THERE ARE SO MANY OPPORTUNITIES. I like machinery because I can work with grass and arable, and I still like cows, so I could work on a farm with both.

MY DAD ALWAYS WANTED HIS OWN FARM AND MANAGED TO BUY ONE AND BUILD IT UP. It’s become more apparent to me since I started college exactly what he has achieved.

THE ARABLE SIDE OF OUR FARM IS PURELY FOR THE BEEF ENTERPRISE. The first time I did it all – put the fertiliser on a field, then cut it, raked it up, etc – there was a massive sense of achievement seeing the animals eating it in the winter knowing I

YOU NEED TO TRY AND STAY WITH TECHNOLOGY. Keep with the times as much as possible, where it is financially possible – a lot of farmers are seen as backwards but there is no need to be like that.

ONE PROBLEM IS YOUNG PEOPLE BUYING INTO THE STEREOTYPE OF FARMERS AND KEEPING IT GOING. Some people want to make a difference and improve their home farm, but you know they won’t be able to because they are tied to the past. They will do things the way it has always been done, because it works – but how much longer will it work for?

PUBLIC RELATIONS IS SO IMPORTANT. How the public view you is becoming a lot more important and how things get done is swayed depending on what the public think.

I THINK THE FUTURE WILL BE EXCITING. But it will be challenging – in our area, prime land just gets built on and land prices are mental.

Choosing arable was a personal thing. I like that it’s over a year; you sow your crops and then you see them grow. It’s rewarding at the end when you harvest what you’ve created. My dad has an arable farm, so I’m hoping to go back to that once I’ve graduated. I came to university because I wanted to get a broader sense of the subject.

Just going back onto one farm could be quite single-minded, and I might not have got a grasp of other techniques. Going to university you see more examples and you get to know the industry in a broader sense. Arable farming is fast changing – if you’ve got some land you’ve got lots of options available to you.

ASHLEY PAIN, BSc Agriculture, University of Nottingham

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✪ ✪ ✪ ✪ ✪ ✪ SUGAR ✪ ✪ ✪ ✪ ✪ ✪ SUGAR BEET IS PART OF OUR ARABLE ROTATION. We farm 700 acres on the Cambridge/ Suffolk border. I work with my father and my grandad is still involved.

RICHARD CLARKE Sugar grower

AFTER SCHOOL I WENT TO WRITTLE COLLEGE TO STUDY AN AGRICULTURE AND BUSINESS MANAGEMENT DEGREE. I really enjoyed my time there; it was great to meet people from other sectors, look at different farms and learn more about the industry. There were quite a few of us that farmed sugar beet at home so we could learn from each other as well. We had lots of fun too; one year we did a charity pub crawl in our overalls and wellies which caused quite a stir in the local town!

I RETURNED HOME AFTER MY TIME AT WRITTLE TO FARM. When I finished my degree I considered working on another farm. But the upcoming retirement of a farm worker and my grandad winding down his work on the farm made returning home a natural decision. One day I will take over so I am building my experience and knowledge for my future on the farm.

SUGAR BEET IS A GREAT CROP FOR US TO GROW. We are very close to two sugar factories, which makes transporting crops very easy. It is a good break crop and helps control blackgrass in our rotation. It also provides a good amount of winter work for us on the farm – there is plenty of variety!

THE MARKET IS UNIQUE COMPARED TO OTHER CROPS. British Sugar is the only buyer in the country. The NFU negotiates the contracts for all UK growers with them. Global markets have pushed prices down and they could drop further.

But the potential for increased exports if restrictions fall would be very positive for the sugar industry.

MY ADVICE TO OTHER STUDENT FARMERS IS TO GET INVOLVED AND LEARN. Keep an eye on EU matters and world markets – it will help you become a better grower. The sugar industry is quite political so understanding how it works and the challenges in it is important. I went on a trip with the NFU to London and Brussels, which taught me a lot about the industry. I have been able to take my greater understanding of the crop and market back to our farm to help plan for the future.

✪ ✪ ✪ ✪ ✪ HORTICULTURE ✪ ✪ ✪ ✪ ✪ I THOUGHT FRESH PRODUCE LOOKED INTERESTING WHEN I WAS LOOKING AT POSSIBLE PLACEMENTS. It gave me the opportunity to work for Intercrop Ltd in Spain, which opened my eyes to a whole new sector I hadn’t considered before. I went in not knowing anything about it but once I had been in the job for a few weeks I thought it was really interesting.

ALICE WHITEHEAD BSc (Hons) Agriculture, Harper Adams University

THE VOLUME GROWN WAS HUGE. I was out there for six months and we harvested 100 tonnes a week. My main job was supervising the spinach team.

FRESH PRODUCE IS VERY PEOPLE ORIENTATED. It relies a lot on manual and skilled labour, and it’s very focused on what the customer wants – specifications are very strict. It has to be really good quality and you have to be really concerned about food safety – there is lots of filling in forms, etc.

THERE IS A LOT OF TECHNOLOGY, BUT AT THE SAME TIME THERE IS STILL A LOT OF RELIANCE ON MANUAL LABOUR FOR TASKS SUCH AS HAND WEEDING. There are both extremes – at one end it is done the same way it has always been

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done. For instance harvesting, a lot of which can’t be done without human involvement.

THERE ARE LOTS OF GOOD OPPORTUNITIES FOR YOUNG PEOPLE. It’s really interesting – people don’t realise the amount of skill that goes into growing fresh produce.

SPAIN WAS BRILLIANT. I learned Spanish and I’m still having lessons now I’m back at Harper, I really don’t want to lose what I’ve learned!

IT WAS DAUNTING BEING ABROAD BUT I HAD A LOT OF SUPPORT FROM THE COMPANY. Sometimes it was tough because I didn’t have my friends with me, but it was good fun.

I’D LIKE TO MOVE AWAY FROM THE GROWING SIDE. I want to be involved in the other side of things, maybe something to do with packing, processing or as a supermarket buyer.

THERE’S A LOT OF HARD WORK AHEAD FOR THE NEXT GENERATION. But it’s really rewarding.

If you’re prepared to put the hard work in, you will get more out of it.

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✪ ✪ ✪ ✪ ✪ ✪ DAIRY ✪ ✪ ✪ ✪ ✪ ✪ you off. If you’ve got the passion to do it, just do it, otherwise you’ll be left ‘never knowing’.

WHAT I LIKE ABOUT DAIRY FARMING IS THAT YOU HANDLE THE COWS TWICE A DAY AND YOU GET TO KNOW THEM. You know the softies, the cheeky ones and you see the benefit every day when you look in the tank, so it’s an instant reward.

EMILY WILSON BSc (Hons) Agriculture, Harper Adams University

IN SEPTEMBER MY PARTNER AND I WERE GIVEN A DAIRY TENANCY ON A STARTER FARM IN STAFFORDSHIRE. We have the tenancy for ten years and then there’s the chance to move into a progression farm, which will have a 20-year farm business tenancy.

I LOVE THE FARM AND IT HAS ENABLED US TO START FARMING BUT IDEALLY IT WILL NEED TO BE BIGGER TO SUPPORT BOTH OF US. I love working with livestock but I also really enjoy the crop side of things too and I’d like to get a career within agronomy. If I go out and get a career in crops I can give something back to our farm with the knowledge I have gained.

TO BE HONEST, I NEVER THOUGHT I WOULD BE ABLE TO GET A FARM AND I’D WRITTEN THE DREAM OFF. I always thought I’d work within the industry but never get the opportunity to farm in my own right. However, we applied for three dairy farms and got lucky on the third one.

THE ISSUE WITH MILK PRICES WAS A BIG WORRY AND A LOT OF PEOPLE TOLD US WE WERE VERY BRAVE. We are starting to feel the winter pinch a bit but the nice thing about agriculture is that you’re not the only one in the boat. If there’s poor weather everyone else is suffering from it. It’s a nice community and we’ve found that neighbouring farmers have all been willing to help us, as they’ve all been in the same position when starting up in agriculture.

IT WAS THE THIRD TENANCY WE HAD APPLIED FOR. When applying, you have to generate a business plan, a budget and produce three years’ worth of cash flows, so it took some working.

Then, if you’re lucky, you get an interview – you’re up against four or five other applicants and the interviews are quite gruelling just because you know it’s competitive. Then you have to wait and find out. It’s quite a long process and getting everything ready takes quite a bit of time, but don’t let this put

WE THOUGHT WE’D FEEL REALLY ALONE, MOVING TO A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT AREA BUT IT’S PROVEN TO BE QUITE THE OPPOSITE. It was worrying because we were moving house, changing lifestyle, job and location, so it was daunting, but people shouldn’t be put off because it is so exciting and very gratifying. We don’t regret it one bit – we knew it was always going to be challenging at first but we know we will look back in a year’s time and laugh!

JOSEPH WHEELER, Second year BSc (Hons) Agriculture, Royal Agricultural College The area of agriculture I am most interested in is the livestock sector, especially dairy. At the best of times, working with livestock is hard work, with dairy being one of the most labour and time consuming of them all. Mad you must be thinking, why spend long hours working in cold, wet conditions milking cows?

Simple, I love it.

Fields of wheat and other crops look very nice, and offer long skiing holidays throughout the winter months, but the dependency of stock upon the farmer and stockman offers rewards that cannot be obtained by any other means. Each cow has its own

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personality and, like people, has bad days; when you work with these animals day in and day out you learn about each and every one as an individual.

As well as the personal attachment to the animals, the livestock industry offers new challenges to young individuals who are keen to prove themselves. The recent controversy surrounding milk prices will only force the industry to step up production in a more efficient manner. These challenges will only increase with a growing world population eating a more westernised diet of meat and dairy products.

05/10/2015 15:33

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✪ ✪ ✪ ✪ ✪ LIVESTOCK ✪ ✪ ✪ ✪ ✪ I THINK SHEEP ARE THE BEST WAY TO START FOR PEOPLE WHO WANT TO GO INTO LIVESTOCK. You don’t have to have a big gross margin to start it up.

SHEEP AREN’T TOO MUCH WORK. It’s only really lambing time that it gets really busy. I’m hoping all the ewes will lamb within a two-week period this year. It will be intense for those couple of weeks, but it’s worth it as it’s really nice seeing the lambs – they might annoy you sometimes but it’s good!

MOLLIE GOODALL Level 3 Extended Diploma in Agriculture (livestock option), Bridgwater College

I’VE BEEN INTERESTED IN AGRICULTURE FOR A WHILE. I grew up going to my grandad’s farm all the time.

I ALWAYS AIMED TO GO INTO FURTHER EDUCATION AFTER SCHOOL. I knew I wanted to do something with animals, but I didn’t want to be a vet. I like agriculture – it sounds weird, but everyone in farming is more normal!

NOW I’VE GOT 70 EWES OF MY OWN THAT I’M TRYING TO WORK UP. I want to build the flock up, maybe get some pedigree stock and I want to breed some lambs to start off with.

A LOT OF PEOPLE DON’T LIKE SHEEP – THEY CAN ACT A BIT STUPID AT THE END OF THE DAY! I wouldn’t mind doing some relief milking too – I work at Bridgwater College’s farm at the weekends. And I wouldn’t mind going into beef, but bovine TB puts me off a bit at the moment – maybe in the future.

THE SENSE OF ACHIEVEMENT AT SEEING YOUR OWN STOCK BEING BROUGHT UP AND SOLD IS FANTASTIC. And animals are good to work with – every day is different.

ONCE YOU’VE GOT YOUR FOOT IN THE DOOR YOU CAN WORK YOUR WAY UP. I’m lucky because I’ve got a background in farming but some people haven’t got any whatsoever and I think they will find it hard if they want their own business.

✪ ✪ ✪ ✪ ✪ ✪ POULTRY ✪ ✪ ✪ ✪ ✪ ✪ I GREW UP ON THE FAMILY FARM IN BERKSHIRE. I didn’t intend to work on the farm and went off to university to study something completely different. It was only when I finished my degree that I realised I wanted to go into agriculture and work with my family.

TOM COPAS Copas Turkeys

OUR FAMILY HAS FARMED IN THE VILLAGE FOR OVER 150 YEARS. Back then they farmed cattle but it has evolved over time with many different crops from potatoes to fruit. Now we farm 40,000 turkeys a year for the Christmas market. They are farmed extensively and are all processed on farm. We grow traditional turkey breeds in a traditional way to make them taste great.

I AM THE OPERATIONS MANAGER ON THE FARM. I work on the turkey enterprise from September to February. We then do some estate work before we start to prepare for the summer events in April. It means that my role is really varied.

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WE PRODUCE A REALLY STRONG PRODUCT BUT THE SUPERMARKETS ARE A CONCERN TO THE MARKET. Luckily people tend to be traditional over the festive period and will return to their butcher to buy a turkey, even if they purchase the rest of their meat from the supermarket. The cost of feed has been an issue this year with the poor harvest but that is the same for all farmers.

WE WILL CONTINUE TO ANALYSE WHAT WE ARE DOING AND EVOLVE AS NECESSARY. The farm has diversified and changed operations over the years to meet market demands. I am passionate about working for the family business and really proud of what we produce.

ADVICE? Learn about the industry, understand what it is about and go for it! It’s a really exciting indistry to be involved in.

05/10/2015 15:32

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✪ ✪ ✪ ✪ ✪ ✪ PIGS ✪ ✪ ✪ ✪ ✪ ✪ focused on welfare and high standards. It’s one of the most important things that producers should focus on, because at the end of the day it is consumers that are buying the product and they care about welfare.

EVERYONE IS MINDFUL OF WHAT THE CONSUMER WANTS. But there is the issue of price too – there has to be a balance.

THINGS IN THE SECTOR ARE DEFINITELY UNCERTAIN AND A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE WORRIED. At the moment the price it costs to produce a pig and the price it is being sold for means farms are trading at a loss. And there’s only so long people can do that for.

TOM STOCKINGS, BSc (Hons) Agriculture, Harper Adams University

MY FAMILY FARMS PIGS IN OXFORD AND THE SOUTH WEST. At our home farm we have about 5,000 finishing pigs, which are outdoor bred and then indoor finished. Welfare is a priority on the farm.

ONE OF THE GREAT THINGS ABOUT THE PIG INDUSTRY IS HOW QUICK EVERYTHING IS. It’s not like chickens, which is insanely quick, but you can see results a lot quicker. It’s changing all the time. And it’s good to be outdoors. That’s one of the beauties of having an outdoor-bred system – it’s good to see sows in their natural habitat.

WITH ANIMALS, EVERY DAY IS DIFFERENT. And it’s nice to work with something that has character.

But pigs and livestock are completely different – they change continuously. They are very intelligent, but that makes things easier, if anything.

ONE PIG IS COMPLETELY DIFFERENT FROM ANOTHER. One sow might be happy with you looking at her piglets, but another might go mad.

The sows stay on the units for up to four to five years, so managers do get to know the individuals very well. It’s really important that while they’re in production they have a very good life. At the end of the day, we’re all going to die, but we all want to have a good time while we are here!

ONCE YOU KNOW A PIG, YOU CAN MANAGE THEM ACCORDINGLY. Our company is really

OF COURSE, NO ONE’S SAYING YOU HAVE TO CHOOSE JUST ONE. BUT HOPEFULLY OUR CASE STUDIES WILL GIVE YOU AN IDEA OF WHAT IS GREAT ABOUT EACH INDIVIDUAL SECTOR

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THE PRICE FOR PIGS IS GOING UP. However, the problem is it goes up very slowly and wheat prices have gone up like a rocket.

ONE OF THE PROBLEMS ASSOCIATED WITH FARMING PIGS IS THAT THERE IS RELATIVELY LITTLE SCOPE ON WHAT THEY CAN BE FED. Therefore you’re tied into buying concentrates, which are really expensive at the moment. In beef and sheep you can use alternative crops, grass or finish them extensively, but there is no escape route for the pig industry.

BUT, ALL THAT ASIDE, IT’S DEFINITELY AN EXCITING SECTOR TO BE IN. It’s a very efficient way of producing meat but it’s also a nice atmosphere to work in. I think it’s going to be a very exciting sector to go into and the number of people entering it at the moment is quite low, so there are lots of opportunities.

EVENTUALLY I WANT TO GO BACK TO THE FAMILY FARM BUT I’M KEEN TO GO OFF AND DO SOMETHING A BIT DIFFERENT FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS. I worked on a mixed farm in Kent for my placement, which I really enjoyed.

MY ADVICE FOR PEOPLE THINKING ABOUT ENTERING THE PIG INDUSTRY? Do it! It’s going to be an exciting business to be in. There’s lots of scope for moving up the ladder quickly and there are plenty of training courses out there.

Need more information? Visit nfuonline.com for more details and the latest news from across the industry.

And while you are deciding, why not take our fun quiz to see which sector suits you? The result may surprise you....

05/10/2015 15:32

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THE CHEEKY #STUDENTFARMER SECTOR QUIZ WHATEVER YOU DO, DON’T TAKE THIS QUIZ LITERALLY. HEAD TO WWW.BRIGHTCROP.ORG.UK TO HELP YOU DECIDE

START HERE ARE YOU BOTHERED BY THE HEADY STENCH OF DUNG?

ARE SLUGS THE BANE OF YOUR LIFE?

DISGUSTING STUFF

BEAUTIFUL STUFF

FAIRLY INDIFFERENT

HORTICULTURE SHEARING: HAIRCUT OR SUMMER JOB?

EVEN GOT THE SPECIAL SHOES

HATE THEM!

STILL HOLDING OUT FOR A BBQ SUMMER TIDY HAIRCUT, TIDY MIND

DO YOU HAVE A ‘GLASS HALF FULL’ VIEW OF BRITISH WEATHER? WILL THE AGA IN YOUR KITCHEN BE USED FOR CAKES OR NEWBORN LAMBS?

PIGS TOASTY LAMBS

EXPECT THE WORST

EGG AND SOLDIERS

POULTRY LIVESTOCK HELL NO!

ALL ABOUT BREACHING

SKIING, PLEASE!

DOES A SPOONFUL OF SUGAR HELP THE MEDICINE GO DOWN?

I’LL SLEEP WHEN I’M DEAD

NOT HALF!

DAIRY

sugar

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BACON

DO YOU WANT TO SPEND WINTERS BREACHING WATER TROUGHS OR SKIING?

VICTORIA SPONGE, PLEASE

DO YOU CONSIDER 4AM A LIE-IN?

BACON SANDWICHES OR EGG AND SOLDIERS?

I’LL STICK TO SAVOURY

arable

05/10/2015 14:08

Could you be the next chapter in Hartpury’s success story?

With 11 national titles in 2014-15 and international honours across the board, Hartpury is proud of its sporting success.

But Hartpury is about so much more than sport, offering a range of courses from really hands-on agriculture and conservation-based courses to equine and animal-focused programmes.

I wanted to go as far as I could with my rugby but I didn’t want my passion for farming to take a back seat. At Hartpury, I got all the support I needed to balance my studies and my sport as an elite athlete, and there were so many opportunities to apply what you learned in the classroom in real-life practical farming situations right on your doorstep. Now I’m looking forward to my next challenge as I start out as an Agriculture lecturer.

George Boulton - England Students and Hartpury Agriculture Graduate

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With our stunning 360-hectare estate as your classroom and 100% of our agriculture students finding work after their studies, Hartpury can help you open the door to your dream career; whether that’s working in the farming industry, getting hands on with agricultural machinery, being a gamekeeper or making a difference in the wildlife and conservation sector. And we offer a wide range of qualifications from BTEC Diplomas through to Foundation and Honours degrees and apprenticeships.

Discover your future at www.hartpury.ac.uk

Could you be the next chapter

05/10/2015 15:43

Autumn 2015

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FACTS ABOUT FARMING C

hoosing your career is a massive thing. We know because we’ve been there, done that, read the literature, talked to the tutors and got the t-shirt, although we’re now far too big to wear the t-shirt (it sucks to be us).

You will be bombarded by people, books and websites telling you what job you’re best suited to, but sometimes your career is more about doing the things you love doing – remember, you’ll be the one going to work every day, so choose something you’ll enjoy. With that in mind, we thought that we’d take a look at some of the more fun stuff about farming that you may not have thought about. Here’s seven things for you to consider.

You can drive BIG machines Yes, you probably worked out for yourself that you can drive a tractor around, but what about a combine harvester worth £200,000 or a 35ft wide sprayer?

Sound good?

You can travel the globe Farming is, without doubt, one of the best jobs if you want to see the world. Every country needs food, so nearly all of them produce it. Australia and New Zealand are really popular, but you can go just about anywhere you want.

The countryside is your office OK, not everyone wants to be outside all of the time, but who wants to be stuck in an office in front of a computer all day? Even when it’s raining or cold, there are few places more beautiful than the British countryside, and it’s all yours if you want it.

You put food on peoples’ plates There are certain jobs where you never see the end result of all that hard work and effort. Farming isn’t one of them. You know that you’ve created something that’s going to end up being eaten and appreciated by someone.

You’re part of a club If you’re the sort of person who likes being in a team or part of a club then farming could be something for you.

Farmers share ideas and are always there to help one of their own.

No two days are ever the same The weather changes, animals escape and tractors break down. You’ve always got something to think about as a farmer, but no-one likes to do the same thing every day, do they?

You can try loads of different things A career in farming can involve growing crops, breeding animals, milking cows, shearing sheep, feeding pigs and about 100 other jobs. You can try working in all these sectors to see which one you like the most.

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FROM FAME TO FARM

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meet JONATHAN BENJAMIN (JB) GILL Farming’s newest recruit just so happens to be a former member of the boy band JLS. He started ofF with a 10 acre smalLholding in Kent and he’s recently bought a 180 acre deer farm in Wick, Scotland I had a plot of land and I wanted to do something with it.

That’s how it all started. It was a little bit of an unorthodox decision really because farming isn’t in my blood, or something I have mountains of experience in. When I looked into the different options, deer farming really stood out as something to explore – deer come and go on my land as they please, so I was really keen to go down that route. It just proves that you don’t have to have it in your genes – and that it’s cool.

Even when I was in JLS I came back home to farm.

Farming isn’t something I went into straight out of JLS – obviously I have more time now the group are no longer together but I was still involved in farming while we were together.

It takes a lot of time and not only practically – I’ve done hours of research about topics, what they mean and how to do them the right way. However it’s not something you can read in a book – you have to learn on the ground. You can’t just read a textbook and immediately earn the right to call yourself a farmer.

many young people who want to get into farming but just don’t know how. Then there are others who see it as just a family-farming industry. They think you’re either born into it or not into it at all – that’s wrong. I want to change that and show you don’t have to be born into the industry.

Farming is a real contrast to the industry I’m used to.

Entertainment is all about being at the top. It’s generally about having success over and above the rest.

In farming, people want to include me and want me to be part of their industry, their culture and the farming world. It’s different – but a good different.

Tradition and history makes British farming the best in the world.

British farming is steeped in history across the board and it’s worldrenowned. I feel that British farming is a pioneer for the industry as a whole.

It’s amazing to be part of something where you can see what happens from farm to fork, you grow it and eat it –

it’s great and that love will never die out.

Be encouraged. Jump into it.

Take me, for example – I had no experience in farming and I didn’t know much about it before I started researching. There is no reason why anyone should limit their learning just because they don’t know or don’t understand. There’s always the opportunity to learn, investigate and develop yourself. Venture into something different that you’re passionate about – what’s bad about that?

We need to prove that farmers have good fashion sense.

That’s one stereotype that definitely needs to go! That has got to change radically and I’m going to prove everyone wrong. Farming is rock ‘n’ roll – more people should know that.

My pig has a Twitter account.

Ginger is amazing. She has her own fans and she’s a massive diva. So when we’re talking about rock ‘n’ roll, farming does have it and especially on my farm – it’s all about Ginger.

I felt part of this industry right from the beginning – but it’s all about education.

People have been so welcoming and supporting – they even think I bring a new dimension to farming. Farming can sometimes be seen as a potentially dying trade – lots of people live in the countryside then want to move to the city to try out new and different things. And there are so

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Don’t fancy being a farmer? Don’t worRy – there are loads of brilLiant jobs in the industry to choose from...

COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER Jess Sloss is Red Tractor’s industry communications manager. When she finished her undergraduate degree she lived under a friend’s dining room table for six months with her house rabbit.

Every day in my job is different. I’m based in London but spend much of my time out and about at shows and meeting farmers.

When I am in the office I spend my time finding out from the technical team what’s happening within the sectors and planning and delivering future communications.

I love the variety. I can arrive at work with a well-formulated plan as to what I need to achieve that day and by lunchtime it can have completely changed. I also love talking to farmers and finding out about what they do.

Not coming from a marketing background, the thing I found the hardest was getting used to all the abbreviations and jargon that is used! The trick is to not be ashamed to say when you don’t understand.

I’m not from a farming family but I’ve worked on farms so I hope I understand the issues facing our members – having an understanding goes a long way.

I finished a postgraduate diploma in agriculture at the Royal Agricultural University in 2013. Before that I worked in the civil service for Acas, after finishing my law degree at the University of the West of England in Bristol.

Sometimes I wish I had gone into agriculture earlier but my law degree and work experience have given me skills I may not have otherwise gained.

I’d recommend a career in agriculture; there are so many different paths you can take. It’s such a vast and varied industry, and there are so many opportunities. The demand for food is only going to increase with the rising population and finding new and innovative methods of production is definitely an exciting prospect.

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CHEESEMAKER Philip Farndon is an apprentice at Lynher Dairies in Cornwall.

He’s 20 and a keen sculler, regularly competing across the South West.

I’ve taken an apprenticeship that will teach me how to become an artisan cheesemaker, producing award-winning cheeses.

My job requires me to learn all aspects of making artisan cheese, like adding culture, calcium, rennet to vats, monitoring acidity levels, milling, packing of the curds – everything really.

I chose to take on an apprenticeship because it meets everything I am looking for in a job – I can be creative and work as part of team, while gaining a qualification. Apprentices have a reputation of not being sufficiently academic to attend university, which is not true; it is just an alternative route for gaining further education and a degree. It’s earning while learning.

I knew very little about farming and milking cows before working at Lynher, which goes to show that you don’t have to be from a farming background to work in an industry that relies so heavily on agriculture.

There is a big shortage of skilled people within the sector who are of a similar age to me and the food industry is huge, so I think there will always be job opportunities out there.

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BREEDING PROGRAMME ASSISTANT Hannah Noble enjoyed her placement at Genus Breeding Ltd so much, she returned after she finished her degree.

I run the Cornerstone young bull testing programme and carry out all the allocation of semen each month as well as correspondence with the 3,000 members, taking semen orders and general administration.

I also get involved with the progeny promotions side of the job, photographing progeny of our bulls and representing the business at shows and events. I help out at the bull stud carrying out some lab techniques and health testing bulls.

Further to this I am heavily involved in product development on the beef side of the business, dealing with the calving survey and allocation of young beef semen.

I think my placement year allowed me to prove I am capable of being part of a team and working hard to get any jobs done. I never say no to a challenge and I think they liked that about me.

LAND AGENT Rebecca Parry has had two land agent roles since she graduated from Harper Adams with a degree in rural enterprise and land management.

My first job was a resident land agent on the Nantclwyd estate in north Wales, a traditional rural estate comprising of an in-hand farm, pheasant shoot, agricultural land and residential lettings.

After obtaining my Member of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors qualification I moved onto Staffordshire County Council as a land agent.

The thing I enjoy most about my job is the variety of work. Each day is different and varies from being out on farms dealing with farmers to being in the office dealing with the financial and strategic side of estate management.

The job entails a huge variety of work such as landlord and tenant matters, rent reviews, tenant rights, investment in farm infrastructure, property repairs, re-letting vacant farms and interviewing prospective tenants.

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COMMERCIAL MANAGER As commercial manager for Cornerways Nursery Henry Robertson motivates his team to grow 140m tomatoes every year.

I manage the team that controls all our sales, quality control, packing, procurement and transport. As a team we make sure that everything runs smoothly, from raw materials arriving to supermarket delivery.

What do I like about my job? Everything! The people I work with are young and fun, and we work with a great product. Also, the fresh produce industry is never boring because it’s fast-paced and ever-changing. The hours can be long sometimes but you don’t notice it.

I come from a farming background and have never really considered any path outside of food and farming. I’d really like to run my own business one day, so it’s important to get some decent experience in a management/ business role.

My tip? Work hard and play hard!

05/10/2015 14:05

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As a nutritionist for AB Agri, Heidi Neal develops techniques for feeding farm animals.

AGRONOMIST Matthew Taylor is an agronomist for Frontier, helping farmers to grow high-quality crops.

Agronomy is using scientific knowledge about plants and soil to grow the best possible crops. My role involves dealing with growers on a daily basis, looking at their fields and helping them plan their crops. I offer advice on agrochemicals, fertiliser, seed, game cover and novel solutions like variable rate fertiliser or drilling.

I specialise in potato growing. My job is very satisfying. The best bit is watching a crop growing and knowing that it’s your expertise that helped produce it.

I work outside every day, in all kinds of weathers. The skies in Norfolk are big, the farmers are great to work with and I’m really grateful that I don’t have to spend my life in an office. The hours can be long, but if the sun’s shining it’s not too bad.

I’m really happy with my career. I would like to become a well respected and established agronomist with great working relationships with my customers.

My advice? Don’t be afraid to really push yourself.

TRADER James Maguire is a farm and commodity trader for Nidera UK Ltd, building great relationships which enable him to buy and sell at the right price.

My job has two sides to it; I trade oats, linseed and peas within the company to UK consumers (which have been procured from farmers) while making a profit in doing so. My main role, however, is to speak to farmers and advise them when best to sell their crops to achieve the best returns, and also when to purchase fertilisers and seed for the best deal.

I have to build close relationships with the farmers I buy from, so that I know what they’re planning to grow, when and how much they hope to sell for this year.

I was planning to study forensic science at university after a gap year in the working world. During that year I started working at Nidera in the transport department. I loved the industry, and quickly progressed through the ranks, gaining valuable experience about many aspects of grain merchanting, from execution to market trading, and now finally farm trading. I’d like to move further up the hierarchy of the company – in this job you can move up the ladder pretty quickly.

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I’m currently learning how to design animal diets which will maximise animal performance and cost benefits. I research many areas, such as new techniques for feeding and feed ingredients, as well as new products.

I love the enjoyment I get from discovering new ideas. I get to work in cattle, pig and sheep nutrition. This can mean juggling a lot of balls, but I find it exciting and rewarding. There isn’t much I dislike - maybe the very cold days in winter on a farm, -4°c is chilly!

It can be stressful, especially at harvest time when the whole trade is running flat out. But it’s rewarding coming out the other side, knowing you’ve done some good business, and maintained and made new relationships with growers.

If you want to get into agriculture, think outside the box.

There are loads of different opportunities out there, and the majority of them do not involve working directly on a farm. If you aim high and work hard, a career in agriculture can take you further than you ever dreamed!

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DAIRY CONSULTANT Ben Hembrow is the son of a dairy farming family in Somerset and a talented cricketer. He now works for Kite Consulting with a specialism in the dairy sector.

I advise dairy businesses in the South West on all aspects of farm management, from cow nutrition to forward planning of budgets. It’s important to have a detailed understanding of each farm’s current technical performance, so I go and see how their cows are performing.

I discuss with the farmer current performance in relation to key performance indicators such as milk sold per cow, mastitis rates for the month and pregnancies achieved. Then we’ll go to the farm office and talk about the diet and any alterations in more detail with how it is likely to change, considering things like silage stocks and forward prices of purchased feed. Other farms might use me for business advice, maybe preparing an annual budget, or looking at potential changes like expansion or monitoring the quarter’s financial performance.

Despite the job being hard work and challenging, I enjoy working with Kite’s great team of consultants who help me provide a great service for our clients. I enjoy the variety and find the role very fulfilling when I see a client’s business grow and improve profitability due, in part, to the advice I have provided.

There are fantastic opportunities in the dairy industry. You have to be bright, hardworking and dedicated to your work, and if you think you fit this, then dairy consultancy can provide a great career for you. The dairy businesses that want to progress appreciate high-quality, robust advice with the most up-to-date thinking on management to maximise economic performance. The role can be intellectually challenging and gives you a job full of variety.

RURAL SURVEYOR After graduating with a degree in rural enterprise and land management from Harper Adams in 2012, Carys Williams’ passion for rural life led her to a role as a rural surveyor with Rostons Land and Property Specialists.

I was in charge of the Single Payment Entitlement Trading last year, so in March and April a lot of my time was spent on the phone trading. Once that quietened down I could be doing anything from negotiating a compensation claim to submitting a planning application for an agricultural workers dwelling.

The thing I love most about my job is the variety. Every day is different and I am forever learning something new. I also love the contact we have with the rural community.

Aside from everything academic, I did also learn that working in a team and being honest and reliable is important in working life and being part of sports clubs at Harper helped with this.

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HOME ECONOMIST Lydia Sackett actually gets to taste food for a living. She’s became a home economist at Campden BRI in Gloucestershire after studying food and consumer studies at Harper Adams.

Essentially I am a food taster, which is my dream job. I work in the department of consumer and sensory science on the product benchmarking team. My main role is to taste and benchmark products and then award them an overall eating enjoyment score by scoring them on their appearance, odour, flavour and texture.

I spent my placement year with H.J Heinz Co. Ltd within the UK soups team. I assisted in the launch of Heinz Squeeze and Stir instant soup and I also worked on reducing the salt in all the classic Heinz soups to meet the Department of Health’s 2012 sodium targets.

BRIGHT CROP The Bright Crop website lets you explore a wide range of roles in the food and farming industry so you can figure out if they’re right for you. Don’t panic if none of the careers on this page sound appealing – there are loads more.

Visit www.brightcrop.org.uk

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A DAY IN the life What the average 24-hours looks like for four difFerent jobs in the agricultural industry

Matt Ford

NFU GROUP SECRETARY

CHarlotte Emma Harbottle BUTCHER

When I first started my career with the NFU and NFU Mutual as a group secretary, I thought it was going to mean leaving the farming industry behind, but I soon found that moving from the farm into the office wasn’t such a bad thing. The NFU offered me a great career at a time when I couldn’t see any future for myself in the industry due to accidents I had sustained on the farm.

I was a trainee group secretary first and no two days were the same – I did a huge amount of travelling around the country and saw how different agriculture is from Penrith all the way down to Northamptonshire, where my family live.

I can recall one day in particular where I knew the role of a group secretary was not just a career, but also a lifestyle.

5.50am: Arrive at work. Change into overalls, steel-toed boots, chainmail apron and flat cap.

Turn on the computer and put the kettle on! I sort emails and reply to commercial customers via their email/text orders. I then get to work setting the counter up. This is probably the nicest part of the day, making things look vibrant and displaying meat for the customers to choose from.

8:30am: I had my normal morning chat with the senior group secretary. However, you can plan for the day, but you never really know what is going to happen.

1pm: Lunchtime for the staff, which is when I usually cover their break time, unless I’m running away to have a meeting with a chef or a new customer (or as my staff call it, skiving…). There is never a ‘normal’ day and there is never a dull moment. We thrive on the fresh challenge of the next day. We deal with over 25 different local and national suppliers so we receive deliveries throughout the day.

We also portion up carcasses, keep the counter full, communicate to the social media world, handle phone enquiries, help other businesses and the most important bit is (drum roll please) serving customers. I also do quite a lot of writing (or as my staff call it, skiving again – apparently I skive a lot) for all sorts of magazines and writing my book when I have the chance.

8:50am: The assistant agent told us there had been a barn fire at a policyholder’s farm. We immediately went to the farm to make sure they were ok and to ensure the claim had been set in motion to get them back up and running.

12pm: We went to another member’s farm to review their policy. For me this is the best part of the job – you get to meet a wide range of people who farm on different scales with different objectives. The job of a group secretary and agent of the NFU Mutual is to ensure the future of farming by protecting their property and income through insurance and helping them with any industry related issues.

I would highly recommend anyone graduating and looking for a stable career to send their CV into the NFU, not only for the job role I am in but also for their graduate scheme.

The support and training they offer is invaluable and your dream career could be waiting for you!

For more details visit www.nfuonline.com

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9am: The staff arrive and get changed into appropriate uniform and then we set to it for the day.

It’s a great atmosphere – there’s always hilarious banter, which is never-ending.

3.30pm: We start the clean down, wash all knives and equipment, leave the fridges in order, clean the floors and empty the counter.

5pm: My staff and I are due for a daily debrief over a cuppa.

Then I’ve got an urgent and overdue appointment with my bed in preparation to start it all over again! www.charlottesbutchery.blogspot.co.uk

05/10/2015 15:32

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BETHAN WILLIAMS

Georgia Brown nfu press officer

There are plenty of people that think press officers and journalists essentially do the same thing. WRONG. Georgia is here to set the record straight about the two very different roles.

8am: When I arrive into work the first thing we do as a team is scan the news. We’re looking for positive messages about the farming industry as well as negative press. If it’s something positive we’ll promote it on our social media throughout the day, and if it’s negative we’ll try our best to respond to it in the form of a letter or comment.

10am: By mid-morning I’ve received around 15 calls from journalists – some from as far away as Russia – for comments or information on stories that they’re running. We can work with the likes of the BBC, the Daily Mail and the Express.

I’ve also received a call from the TV crew behind Emmerdale who wanted to check a storyline on a cow they were running on the show – that was strange!

2pm: Throughout the day we’ll be briefing our NFU officeholders ahead of TV or radio appearances, making sure they’re aware of the topic they’ll be discussing, which is a key part of my role. After the midday news bulletins at 12pm, journalists often get in touch to expand their stories for the evening bulletin.

5pm: This is when evening news interviews happen, so I’ll organise the location and join the officeholder at the interview. I’ll also make sure that the journalist has everything they need. And like they say – no job in the media ends at 5pm! We can be on call until around 10pm.

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FORMER NFU GRADUATE TRAINEE Bethan Williams now works at the NFU as a project officer for the Campaign for the Farmed Environment (CFE). However, before that she spent two years on the NFU’s graduate trainee scheme in a whole host of areas.

Part of Bethan’s time with the NFU was spent in Brussels working on European food policy. Here’s what a day in the life was like in the land famous for the best chocolate in the world.

8am: The first thing I’d do in the morning is eat a pain-au-chocolat and grab a coffee. You can’t work in Brussels without tasting all the pastries, and you’ll need it for the long and busy working days. Plus it was the only thing I could order in French!

10am: I worked on European food policy, meaning that I’d be involved with organic farming, health and nutrition, sustainable food, and diets within the EU. To start the day I’d be looking at the meetings the Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) were taking part in, and see if there was anything related to the area I worked on. If there was an MEP meeting on say, organic farming, in the afternoon, I’d make sure I’d write a paper briefing the MEPs attending from the NFU’s perspective. Then I’d make sure our points align with the other UK farming unions.

2pm: The most effective way to influence is to lead by example. I spent a lot of time on the phone to farmers back in the UK writing up their stories. It’s all about networking and our main job in Brussels is to represent the views of our members back in the UK. We’re lobbying to change and adapt policy to work for our members, so in the afternoon I’d attend the meeting and talk to MEPs. 6pm: Overall no two days are the same on the graduate scheme and that’s why I loved it – you get the ability to grow and develop skills in the best possible way.

05/10/2015 15:49

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FARMING SIDEKICKS What’s Batman without Robin? Not a fat lot of use realLy. What’s a farmer without a dog? Lonely – everyone needs a wingman. Sidekicks come in alL sizes, but we think the four-legGed variety is best.

FARMING SIDEKICKS EKICK FARMING NNSFID A R MING SIDEKICKS FI FARMING SIDEKICKS FARMING SIDEKICKS FARMING SIDEKICKS FARMING SIDEKICKS FARMING SIDEKICKS FARMING SIDEKICKS e Hamer OWNER: Jo

saver res? He’s a life AGE: Who ca ar N AS: The vic ALSO KNOW Ins : tinct PERPOWER SIDEKICK SU

I wouldn’t sell him for all the money in the world.

He’s my dog in a million. You know people say you’ll have that one dog that you bond with in your life? That you’ll always remember forever? I think I’ve hit the ground running, and maybe I’ve been too lucky because I think I’ve found it in Finn. He’s my partner in

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crime. Farming can be a lonely job and your dogs are the ones you spend the most time with.

I’d be dead without him.

When he was 14 weeks old I came home from work and fell asleep in front of the fire. I woke up to Finn pawing me in the face and a room full of smoke – a log had rolled off the fire and set the carpet alight.

Since then we’ve always had a strong bond. He’s my lifesaver.

We were smitten before we’d met.

My friends knew I’d choose Finn. He was the first puppy that came over to me when I went to see them. He was nicknamed ‘the vicar’ because he had a white mark like a collar on the back of his neck. He was always the one herding the other puppies at night and chasing the chickens during the day. It was a match made in heaven.

Sometimes I think he’s human.

I’ve been ill before and he checks on me every half an hour. If we’re lambing and I miss getting up in the night, he’ll come and wake me up. I love him so much and we have an unbreakable bond. Most farmers don’t have that with their dog.

He’s got a lady on the way.

I don’t know how he’ll react to that.

She’s going to eventually have puppies with him and she’s going to be called Taen, in the sense of the old way of counting sheep. He has got another lady in his life called Jess, but she’s useless. She’s the farm guard dog, but we raised her from five days old with a syringe. She’s her own boss.

Real men wear pink.

I’m pink Joe, because I wear pink, so Finn’s sidekick cape would be pink.

He’s got that gleam in his eye that just screams out that he’s a real man.

05/10/2015 14:06

Autumn 2015

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IDGEKSICK FARMFINARGMLLSIN IDEKICKS E

Caroline Jellicoe AND BELLE Belle’s a lover, not a fighter.

Belle is the gentlest dog I’ve ever known, and is a fantastic pet as well as an instinctively good sheepdog.

She lives with tortoises, chickens, cats and even owls, and doesn’t bat an eyelid.

In true sidekick form she saves lives.

When we had a sick lamb at home in care for a few days, the lamb spent the first night bleating for its flock and was very distressed. So the following night I let the lamb out of her enclosure and she sat on the couch with Belle. They bonded, Belle mothered and looked after the lamb

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AS: Papa bear ALSO KNOWN strength RPOWER: Super SIDEKICK SUPE

Jason Shorten AND SID, NORA AND STRIPE They’re like my other limb.

If I didn’t have my team of Collies I’d feel like I’d lost a limb. Especially with the shows we do. They’re so intuitive and always there when I need them. They’re like a family car, or a tractor – you can’t live without them. They’re more precious than any material, actually.

They’ve all got instinct.

I’ve been doing The Dog and Duck Show since 2011 and all three of them take part. Nora has been doing it since she was 10 weeks old and is a real crowd pleaser. Essentially, the dogs herd the ducks in different directions

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BE

FARMING SIDEKICK S FARMING SIDEKICK S FARMING SIDEKICK S FARMING SIDEKICK S FARMING SIDEKICK S FARMING SIDEKICK S FARMING SIDEKICK S

and the second night the lamb didn’t make a sound. They slept on the couch all night, and the lamb recovered.

Belle’s the other woman.

I work alone so it can be difficult to get the sheep into the race for treatments or into the trailer for movements. I wanted a dog so that I could have that second ‘person’ in the field with me to shepherd the sheep as one person cannot do it alone.

Farmers can’t live without dogs.

When there is one sheep that just won’t follow it can take 20 minutes to get it back. Belle does it in a few seconds. Done properly, the sheep

roline Jellicoe OWNER: Ca ge phase kward teena AGE: That aw her woman N AS: The ot ALSO KNOW : Telepathy PERPOWER SIDEKICK SU

are less stressed, the farmer is less stressed and Belle feels accomplished.

Dogs are great company and Belle is fiercely loyal and gentle.

and it shows that every dog has a natural instinct. They’ve been working with sheep since they were puppies too, honing this natural instinct. I’m a freelance shepherd so having these three is perfect.

Dogs give unconditional love.

It’s like nothing on earth. It doesn’t matter what sort of day you’re having, they’re always there to make sure you’re alright. They have amazing respect for their owner and life would completely suck without them.

Farmers need their predators.

Life on farm would be extremely difficult without a dog. Farmers need that hunter instinct that dogs seem to own. It’s something that a quad bike just can’t replace – there is a mutual respect between the dog and the sheep. It’s a wild instinct.

They’re like the musketeers.

Together, these three are invincible.

You’ve got Sid who’s the matriarch in a sense, he’s the old boy and knows everything – I suppose he’s like

a wise leader. Then you’ve got Stripe, who takes life at the fastest pace and has two speeds – stop and go. Nora’s the secret weapon because everyone just falls in love with her while the other two are plotting a mission.

FARMING SIDEK K IC K E ID ICK S FA RM G IN IN G SI M DE R KI CK FA S S TR IP E NORA FARM ING SIDEKICKS FARMING SIDEKICKS FARMING SIDEKICKS FARMING SIDEKICKS FARMING SIDEKICKS FARMING SIDEKICKFSAR M FARMING SIDEKICKS ING SIDEKIC KS n son Shorte OWNER: Ja e fluffball ag AGE: The

weapon The secret OWN AS: ALSO KN m WER: Char SUPERPO SIDEKICK

OWNER: Ja son Shorte n AGE: Impo ssible to te ll ALSO KN OWN AS: Stop and go SIDEKICK SUPERPO WER: Supe r speed

05/10/2015 14:07

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#studentfarmer

I want to be a

FARMER I want to be a I want to be a L i ve s t o c k try

Po u l What kind of F A R MER FARMER farmer do you want to be? I want to be a I want to be a

There are loads of things you can farm – the world is your oyster and each industry is as important as the next. Cut out the poster above and take a picture of yourself with your chosen sector.

Don’t forget to tweet the picture to @studentfarmer or post on our Facebook wall and we’ll share them!

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Da i r y

Po t at o

FARMERFARMER 05/10/2015 15:16

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05/10/2015 13:44