2022 winner Jack Young (left)

The AgriScot Business Skills Competition, which assesses individuals’ general business skills and awareness of agri-business issues, comes with a £1000 cash prize. In addition, new this year, the two individuals who come runners up will be presented with £250 each, making the competition even more appealing.

Open to individuals between the age of 18 and 25 years, there are three steps to entering:

• Enter by sending in a copy of a CV along with a statement sharing thoughts on “What does a sustainable future look like for Scottish Agriculture?”
• Applications are then shortlisted, with successful candidates invited to one of the regional heats, located across Scotland, where they will explore a farm business, and provide their assessment to a panel of judges.
• The winner of each regional heat is invited to AgriScot (22^nd November 2023) to participate in the final, where they will review a new product innovation.

Commenting on the competition, 2022 winner Jack Young is keen to reassure potential applicants that the process is not as daunting as it may seem at first.

“The regional heat was really interesting. We went round individually with a couple of judges, and mentors. They asked us questions picking up on our knowledge of farming, with the aim of understanding how much we knew about the industry. This was all on-farm, and was so easily done, there was no pressure at all.

“£1,000 is a tremendous prize. I was dreaming about it to start with, that you could actually win these kind of things, and here I am. But it wasn’t just the money I came away with, I developed further skills in time management and strategy, which is helping me with our home farm business.”

Previous winners have had great success following the competition

Heather Kerr from Scotland’s Rural College, AgriScot business skills coordinator, feels this competition is continuing to evolve to the benefit of the industry:.

“The topic this year provides flexibility and scope for applicants to really look at what sustainability means for Scottish agriculture. Whether it is sustainability in terms of our landscape, people, environment, cropping and/or livestock, there is no response that is off limits.

“We are looking for someone who is enthusiastic about the agriculture industry and looking to develop their business skills, while talking advantage of the networking opportunities that are on offer from this competition.”

Previous winners have gone on to develop their own businesses, take on key leadership roles within the sector, and this year will see two of them join the judging panel for the AgriScot Product Innovation award, celebrating new innovation.

Commenting on why NFU Mutual continue to sponsor the competition, Martin Malone, NFU Mutual regional manager of NI and Scotland said: “Agriculture is continuing to adapt to the needs of consumers, political pressures, regulations and accreditation schemes, to name but a few, but what doesn’t change is the skills required by our most precious asset, our people.

“The AgriScot Business Skills Competition brings forward young people who inspire and challenge the status-quo, and investing in their skills development is vital for our sector.”

Find out more about the AgriScot Business Skills Competition, or email Heather directly,

Applications close on Friday 6^th October 2023.

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Two John Deere apprentices working on a machine during their apprenticeship course.

For more than 30 years, John Deere’s revered and respected apprenticeship programme has helped more than 1,200 apprentices qualify through on-the-job practical learning alongside classroom studies.

The John Deere Training Centre at Upper Saxondale, near Nottingham, opened last year, providing state-of-the-art facilities where apprentices complete their two or three-year course while simultaneously working within the John Deere dealership network.

“It’s a really exciting time to be part of the agricultural and turfcare industries,” says Allan Cochran, John Deere branch training manager.

Honor Miles, apprentice technician, stood outside the John Deere Apprentice Training Centre.

“It’s a highly technical and innovative sector, which means our apprentices get to work with some of the most advanced pieces of kit in the world.

“It’s not just servicing and fixing tractors. If you want to earn while you learn and be part of a huge, global brand with a reputation for ground-breaking innovations, then a John Deere apprenticeship could be the perfect start to your career.”

John Deere and the scheme’s training provider, ProVQ, will provide a tour of the training centre on Wednesday 3rd and Thursday 4th May, offering those interested in becoming apprentices the chance to meet the instructors, see the facilities, learn about the John Deere brand, and hear how their careers can grow with the world’s largest manufacturer of agricultural and groundscare equipment.

Sessions will last up to two hours and will outline what John Deere can offer a prospective apprentice, the journey through the Ag Tech, Turf Tech or Parts Tech programmes, plus the John Deere career path once certified.

“This is a unique opportunity to view the learning facilities on offer and talk to those who know all about the programmes,” says Mr Cochran.

The three John Deere apprenticeship programmes include Ag Tech – focusing on agricultural machinery, Turf Tech – focusing on professional turf equipment, and Parts Tech – focusing on parts service and support.

The events are free to attend but you must pre-book a session as places are limited.

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Royal Bath & West Society have recently announced the launch of the ‘Farm Vet of the Future’ award. The competition is open to UK final year vet students intending on becoming farm vets.

“We’re pleased to introduce this new award, which carries with it the historical prestige of its dairy focused predecessor, as well as professional opportunity for the future,” says James Bardwell, Royal Bath & West council member and chair of the judging panel. “In what is a very challenging industry, progressive committed young people need to be supported. This award does that, and in a broad way across the large animal spectrum.”

Entrants are required to submit a piece of work that demonstrates clinical knowledge and interest (case report, herd health project, elective or dissertation), as well as 300-500 words outlining what they think the role of a farm vet of the future should look like. The winner will receive a £1000 cash prize.

Paddy Gordon, director and farm vet at Shepton Vets, and fellow judge, adds: “The award recognises the next generation of farm vets, while broadening the scope of the award beyond just dairy. We think the award is a good way of offering encouragement to those that take the initiative.”

The large animal veterinary sector is facing challenges with recruitment, explains Mr Gordon. “We need to proactively help students understand the opportunities in large animal medicine, and offer support to those who are dedicated.”

To win the award, applicants will need to demonstrate a good understanding of disease and on-farm health challenges, he says. “Candidates need to show they can digest and interpret all the science and distil it down into clear messages and actions.”

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New research* commissioned by Arla into the career aspirations of Gen Z has unveiled nearly 40% want a job that’s analytical, but 33% don’t know much about the job of a farmer. In fact, 25% are looking for something that includes scientific testing, and 32% want a job that plays a part in tackling climate change.

When asked about the role dairy farmers play in tackling the climate crisis, nearly half (45%) of 18 – 24-year-olds weren’t aware that today’s dairy farmers are working day in and day out towards lowering climate emissions. In fact, 67% of young people don’t know that farmers spend most of their time using technology to gather and analyse data, working to improve the sustainability of their farms, and taking a data-led approach to the work they do.

As a major employer and a vital business helping to feed the nation, Arla understands that it needs to attract the next generation of farmers to help deliver future changes. The business plans to engage the Government in this mission, and aims to raise awareness of new initiatives, such as its Climate Check programme.

Speaking about the action needed, Paul Savage, director of UK agriculture at Arla, said: “Today, our farm owners are dedicated to continuing their progress to meet the cooperative’s climate targets of reducing emissions on farms by 30% by 2030. However, sustainability is also about ensuring a sustainable workforce for the future and that is why we need our younger generation to step-up and consider a future in dairy to help drive the changes we’ve already identified.

“Our research shows that over two thirds of 18–24-year-olds think it’s important that farmers use renewable energy technologies, but nearly half of those surveyed were unaware that solar panels and wind turbines can already be found on many farms and often have the capacity to generate enough energy to export to power homes in the local area. There is clearly a knowledge gap within Gen Z Brits, and it’s our job at Arla, alongside the Government, to ensure there are enough future farmers in place to help drive the changes that will help the industry meet its climate commitments.”

Every Arla farmer is invited to complete a Climate Check that sees them meet with an independent advisor who identifies the best areas to focus on to reduce their carbon footprint. In October last year, Arla also launched its Sustainability Incentive Model, a new way of rewarding farmers for their actions to reduce emissions through the milk price. These developments have put Arla at the forefront of sustainable dairy.

Arla farmers are already collecting data for the 2023 Climate Checks report – with the results to be published in Autumn 2023. Read the full 2022 climate check report here.

Arla will be calling on the Government to join with the industry in encouraging more young Brits to consider a role in agriculture, and to help them gain the skills they need.

For more information on Arla and its net zero ambitions click here.

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Charlie has worked his way from the ground up within the food production sector and now works as general manager at machine-learning driven crop technology company HarvestEye. The company is based in Lincolnshire and deals with growers across the UK to deliver valuable root crop insights during the harvest season.

Tell us about your first role in the food production industry

My early working life was a bit of a mixed bag — I started out as a pine furniture maker. I joined the trade after leaving school and I worked there for seven years, before the company closed. So, at 23, I headed to national potato supplier Branston and asked for a job for a few weeks to keep me going.

I started working on the production line, packing potatoes into sacks and stacking them on a pallet. It was hard work, with no automation at that time, everything was done manually. Whilst it was quite physically demanding, I worked with some great people and there was a real spirit and camaraderie among us. We were all invested in what we were doing, and all worked hard as a team – ensuring Branston delivered product to our customers on time and to the right specifications.

Another good thing about working in any factory environment is that there are plenty of roles to grow into. So, if you’re willing to go the extra mile, it’s not hard to get noticed. Branston are really keen to promote from within, so from there I very quickly moved into machine operator roles. They’re always willing to provide opportunities and support someone who displays the right attitude and work ethic.

How did your career progress from there?

After working on the production line, I moved to supervising them, which gave me the first glimpse of operations management. From here, I had a big jump into overseeing the day-to-day running of the factory. As I moved up the ladder, I learned about food manufacturing, safety, food hygiene, processes and completed training in automation and production.

Eventually I moved into a process improvement role. Branston leadership and its customers were starting to analyse everything, and wanted to ensure production was lean and waste-free wherever possible, so I went on that journey with them.

I worked closely on efficiencies in the production process, looking at new ways of working and different machinery that could be utilised. That was where I started to develop my project management skills and look at costings on a bigger scale. I would fine tune the machinery setup, train people on how to look after the machinery and standardise everything across Branston’s Lincoln, Somerset and Perth factories.

Then in 2009 I took the opportunity to move into IT to help implement a new system in the Lincoln factory. I started as an IT project assistant and progressed to IT manager, installing new networks, delivering valuable customer service whilst further developing my management skills. Eventually, I expressed that I was ready for the next challenge, which is when I started as general manager at HarvestEye.

Branston Ltd. Photo: Andy Weekes.

What does your current role at HarvestEye involve?

I manage the day-to-day operations of HarvestEye. I work with everyone from the hardware engineering teams to the machine learning experts, helping our growers with live insights on their root crops as produce is lifted.

Customer service has been a big focus for me over the past few months. I’ve been developing our help desk system to monitor our systems and communicate better with our users. It’s all about making sure that we’re being proactive and going to our growers with the information that they need, rather than waiting for them to come to us. Harvest is a key time for them, and our technology is only growing ever more important as margins continue to feel the pressure across farming supply chains.

It’s important that we show growers the breadth of insights available with technology, and how they can be of benefit in crop utilisation, which in turn demonstrates the value of our system.

What is your proudest achievement?

Since I first started at HarvestEye, we’ve worked to continuously improve and develop our database and insights portal, making it as easy as possible for customers to get data out of the system. I joined around the middle of the busy harvest season, which was the perfect opportunity to witness the challenges first hand and identify opportunities to improve.

We have spent the last 12 months primarily focussed on being pro-active in delivering information and customer service to our clients.

A part of that strategy is proactively sending out data reports to growers, so the information conveniently lands in their inbox. They don’t have to wait around or log into the portal if they’re busy harvesting. Instead, we deliver it straight to them and we’ve had a really positive response to that – I’m very proud of how it’s progressed in the past 12 months.

How have you seen the industry change over the years? 

I’ve had a variety of roles across several different areas of the food production process, and technological innovation has come on in leaps and bounds since I first started.

Nowadays, brands are constantly trying to reduce wastage, not just in terms of crops but their team’s time. Developments in machine learning and technology will help us do this, freeing up people’s time to develop new ways of working.

Finally, what would your advice be to people setting out on a similar career path? 

I think being proactive is key, having the data is just the start, understanding how to communicate it to the people that need it and delivering it effectively is what’s crucial.

Also, understanding who needs to know what statistics is fundamental, that’s about taking the time to really understand the business and industry you’re working in.

For example, the perception of IT teams is that they are just there to fix your laptop when it’s broken, so it’s important to explain to people what you’re doing, and the value that you’re adding to their business. It’s important to engage with people and ask what you can do to make their lives easier, or their data more useful to them.

I think in general, teams need to shout more about what they’re working on and let the business know what’s happening in your department, and how that can help others around you and your customers. The farming industry is incredibly fascinating, and an important way to help it progress and develop, is with the innovation that teams such as us are presenting to growers. Both before they head into harvest season and pro-actively during it, so they can make informed decisions. I’d encourage anyone thinking of taking a role in our industry to get involved, you can make a real difference.

For more information about HarvestEye, visit https://www.harvesteye.com/.

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A 2022 addition to the Claas big square baler range equipped to provide a fine chopping action.

I have been lucky. Writing about tractors and machinery for farming magazines can be a good way for someone with an interest in power farming progress to keep up to date – and my writing career has been a long one.

My first contact with advanced new farm equipment technology came before I started my writing career. I was still a student when agricultural engineers at Reading University completed the development of the world’s first driverless robot tractor during the mid-1950s, and the tractor was taken to one of the university farms where I was among the students forming the first audience to see it perform in a field.

The guidance equipment, which was attached to an International Harvester tractor, followed a network of buried wires carrying signals to control the steering and other functions such as starting, stopping and speed adjustment.

The guidance system performed well, but the student audience was not impressed, partly because of the tractor’s performance limitations and also because of the cost of installing and maintaining the guide wires. Our negative verdict was supported when a commercially produced version of the robot tractor was available for sale a few years later, and attracted little interest.

Driver safety improvements

Driver safety and comfort have become important factors when choosing a new tractor.

Probably the most welcome mechanisation development I have seen during my writing career has been the improvements to driver safety and comfort; a development that has applied generally to self-propelled equipment, but particularly to tractors. The tractors I drove when I was employed as a harvest help in the early 1950s lacked a cab, and a padded seat was an unusual luxury, but change was on the way as driver comfort became an increasingly important sales feature.

Farmers and contractors were increasingly willing to pay for a cab that could improve their own tractor driving comfort, and employees were more willing to continue working in adverse weather if they were offered cab comfort including a padded seat, and with heating and sound insulation. Noise levels in tractor cabs had become an increasingly significant issue during the 1960s, followed in the 1970s by the introduction of regulations aimed at limiting driver exposure to noise in the cab.

Four-wheel drive

While driver comfort has been on a welcome upward trend during my working career, other growth areas have included the demand for the extra traction efficiency of 4wd. Putting the power through four wheels instead of two can be a much more efficient method of turning engine power into drawbar pull, with advances in the structural technology of tyres allowing work to continue in a wider range of ground conditions.

The loser in this situation has been the demand for tracklayers which have experienced a sales downturn in the UK tractor market, while some of the benefits available from rubber tracks have recently increased their popularity on combine harvesters.

Industry ups and downs

I have been writing about various aspects of power farming since the early 1960s. The industry has suffered both ups and downs, and when my connection started there were still some results from the post-war sales surge which had attracted new names into tractor and machinery manufacturing.

Some of the sales expansion had been caused by equipment shortages created when tractor and machinery manufacturers were required to switch to military equipment production during the war years. Post-war Britain was also an attractive destination for American tractor companies wanting direct access to what was then the British Empire and, later, to the European market.

The list of American companies starting tractor manufacturing or assembly activities in the UK during the period after the war ended included Allis-Chalmers, Case, International Harvester and Minneapolis-Moline, and they joined Ford and Massey-Harris who were already established as leading UK manufacturers.

This picture was issued when the JCB Fastrac made its first appearance to the farming press.

Some of the manufacturing expansion was also due to a surge of new British-owned companies that started tractor production after the war, many of them making complete tractors while others developed conversions based on standard production models.

The failure rate among the British newcomers in both categories was high with most of the companies disappearing as the market became increasingly competitive, but a notable exception is JCB with its ongoing Fastrac success, and there have also been a number of continuing long-term successes for British companies building self-propelled machinery, including sprayers.

Although tractors and self-propelled equipment have remained at the forefront of my interest during my working career, I have also had plenty of opportunity to observe progress in field machinery generally.

Balers have remained a special interest, probably because of the time I spent as a harvest helper handling conventional straw bales one at a time with a pitchfork. Machines for grouping small bales for handling in flat-eights or other batched group arrangements have made a big contribution to handling efficiency for straw and hay, and these must be welcome developments for those who work on farms, followed by further advances through the introduction of big bales, both round and square. I remember an occasion when illness kept another harvest helper at home for a day or two, and I had to work single-handedly with a pitchfork loading straw bales into a trailer in an 80-acre field. My work rate was not impressive – but at least the situation won an apology from the farm manager.

In spite of a dislike of bale handling with a pitchfork, mine has been a career with more ups than downs – and thanks go to Farmers Guide and other publications for providing the opportunities to benefit me.

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This year’s survey revealed an average salary increase of 5.4% following pay reviews, which is double the level recorded in 2020. It is also well above the average boost of around 2% or so received by the public sector workers this year, but slightly below the 6.2% hike received by private sector workers between June and August.

However, it is difficult to make exact comparisons as many estate staff remuneration packages include some kind of subsidised accommodation. The average figure also hides a wide range of increases. A small number of estates seem to have fully matched the increase in inflation when calculating salary rises for their staff, while a number are some way below, Knight Frank said.

Despite the current economic turmoil, the survey revealed staff availability for farms and estates remains extremely limited and recruitment was highlighted as an increasingly difficult issue by 86% of respondents.

Meanwhile 57% of those who employ staff from overseas said they are finding it harder to recruit.

Head of rural research Andrew Shirley, commented: “Even specialist agencies often provide unmotivated and under-skilled candidates unwilling to work hard, say a number of our participants.”

When asked which roles were hardest to fill, respondents listed a wide range of positions, but estates with diversified hospitality businesses like catering or wedding venues seemed to be struggling the most, according to Knight Frank.

This is perhaps unsurprising given the huge levels of competition from the wider hospitality sector suffering from a lack of EU workers post-Brexit. Even McDonalds is now offering salaries of over £13/hour, which is well above the new minimum wage announced in Chancellor Jeremy Hunt’s Autumn Statement.

Meanwhile, 42% of respondents listed staff retention as a growing problem.

With such an imbalance between staff supply and demand, potential recruits are also becoming increasingly selective about the roles they are prepared to take on, with remuneration just part of their criteria, Knight Frank added.

In addition, over 40% of survey respondents said that they were increasingly being questioned about their social and environmental policies.

Alistair Paul, head of the rural consultancy eastern region at Knight Frank, commented: “While it is easy to dismiss such requests as the preoccupations of Gen-Z workers, they are unlikely to diminish. Putting in place strong environmental and social policies also undoubtedly creates businesses that are more sustainable and better placed to weather the growing climate change and biodiversity challenges.

“A good example is the net zero strategy recently released by the Duchy of Cornwall. Employers who recognise and respond to the big issues of the day, particularly environmental matters, will be in a better position to attract the most motivated staff,” he concluded.

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“The competition offered a unique opportunity for our students to visit a real working farm and get to grips with the opportunities available to them within the agri-food sector” – Melanie Collins, Head of Humanities Faculty at Pipers Corner School

The Pipers Corner team came out ahead over the students from five other schools, Cambourne Village College, Cambridge, Ballard School, New Milton, Ysgol y Preseli, Crymych, Brannel School, St. Austell, and Laurus Ryecroft, Manchester, in an activity-filled weekend, in which the students experienced a wide range of hands-on farm activities at the 970-acre college farm.

The finalists’ weekend showcased how the agriculture industry is adapting to help farmers produce food sustainably and protect the environment.

The weekend showcased how the agriculture industry is adapting to help farmers produce food sustainably and protect the environment. Every single student embraced the experience, getting up at 5am for milking, learning the intricacies of soil science with ioLight microscopes to look at roots, fungi and bacteria and micro-biometers to determine soil carbon and bacterial / fungal ratio of soil, getting hands on weighing lambs and managing agro-forestry systems.  Throughout the weekend students were immersed in the huge amount of technology that the agricultural industry encompasses by using drone technology to measure soil compaction and even using Bayer’s fieldview technology through augmented reality headsets. Not to mention that all the students got the chance to drive a tractor!  As well as hand-on, practical activities, a range of inspirational guest speakers and local businesses highlighting the array of careers opportunities available to young people within the agricultural industry.

All students went on to argue for the hypothesis ‘Soil is the key to sustainable food production,’ with huge enthusiasm, drawing on the knowledge they had picked up throughout the two days presenting for 10 minutes to a panel of judges.

Students highlighted the importance of soil, how different farming systems can have positive and negative effects on soils, and how new and innovative technology is helping farmers to monitor and manage their soils as the centre of their whole farming systems.

Entries for the 2023 Competition will open in December 2022, and the finalists weekend will take place in July 2023.

Melanie Collins, Head of Humanities Faculty at Pipers Corner School, said “The competition offered a unique opportunity for our students to visit a real working farm and get to grips with the opportunities available to them within the agri-food sector and even have a chance to see what the work might be like! We all absolutely loved attending the finalists’ weekend which offered a thought-provoking hypothesis, getting the students to really think about how food production balances a symbiotic relationship with wider factors, especially that of soil. The students have had a truly memorable weekend and are looking forward to sharing their experience with the wider school.”

Carl Edwards, LEAF’s Director, Education and Public Engagement was delighted with the enthusiastic participation in this year’s competition. He said “Previously many pupils and teachers have told us the competition has opened career options they might not have previously considered.  Two thirds of students who attended the competition weekend last year went on to apply for or were considering applying for land-based or agricultural college courses – which they were unaware of before the competition weekend.

The Nation­al Com­pe­ti­tion, start­ed in 2018, and aims to engage and inspire future gen­er­a­tions about food pro­duc­tion, the nat­ur­al envi­ron­ment and high­light the many career oppor­tu­ni­ties avail­able in the land-based sec­tor.

“The competition gives us a real opportunity to showcase our industry. It brings to life the wealth of opportunities in agriculture, and helps teachers and students engage with food production and farming at all stages of the food chain.  We know that young people are acutely aware of environmental issues and are keen to learn more about the positive and negative impact that we are having on our planet, whilst seeking out ways to ensure our future sustainability.  We are particularly excited to see the result of this year’s competition and the development of the students’ awareness and understanding of how their food is produced, the issues that farmers face and the huge opportunities that are open to them within the agricultural sector.

Huge congratulations to Pipers Corner on being crowned this year’s winners and to all our finalists.  All the students have been touched in some way by their involvement in the weekend and it has been a privilege to see their interest, engagement and enthusiasm. Our grateful thanks also to Bayer for supporting this year’s competition, to everyone at Coleg Cambria and to all the teachers who opened this opportunity up for their students and supported them throughout the process.

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