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The latest recruits to the Future Farmer programme have welcomed to their first session at SA¹ú¼Ê´«Ã½.

The programme – delivered by the in collaboration with Tesco – has now welcomed more than 200 participants, with this year’s cohort of 75 the third to take up the course.

Between now and next summer, they will complete nine months of training in sustainability, leadership and profitability – with both on-line and in-person sessions drawing on expertise across the food and farming supply chain.

Impact

Reflecting on this year’s first day, the School’s Business Development Manager Alex Hardie said: “The launch of the Future Farmer cohort is a highlight of the year. But I wasn’t ready for us to make such an impact on day one this year.

“Lead by the brilliant Victoria Vyvyan, President of The Country Land and Business Association, our policy session today challenged our 75 next gen farmers to imagine the agriculture they envisage in 2035.

“They envisaged a world where we are living in a world where all farmers make a profit and are unashamed of this, and where consumers know about their product - and understand they work hard and are proud to have produced it.

Data-driven

“They wanted farms which have policies that are data driven, which are run like businesses, and which are part of a more connected industry with systems and policies that are aligned.

“The Future Farm programme will challenge them to help shape this vision – and give them the tools to help built a more sustainable farming sector.”

Alongside Victoria’s presentation, the new cohort also heard from the Head of Sustainable Banking at Oxbury Bank, Carolien Samson; from Future Farmer alumni Tobias Marin and Catherine Holbrook; from the School’s Strategic Director, Simon Thelwell; and from the Aqualate Estate’s Wojtek Behnke and Richard Maryniak.

Catch up with some of the latest cohort’s thoughts below: