Ãļ§Ö±²¥

Young Farmer Focus - Hannah Cuthbert: 'Farming is changing and young people like us are a part of this'

Hannah Cuthbert, 24, is a farmer from Lincolnshire

clock • 2 min read
Lincolnshire farmer Hannah Cuthbert said she is keen to show young people they do not need a farming background to succeed in the sector
Image:

Lincolnshire farmer Hannah Cuthbert said she is keen to show young people they do not need a farming background to succeed in the sector

Growing up in the Lincolnshire Wolds, I learned about farming through family friends and my local Young Ãļ§Ö±²¥ club.

While farming is often seen as a generational occupation, I am keen to show you do not need farming parents to succeed.

Farming is changing and young people like us are part of this.

Education and farming never really crossed my mind until I had to apply for university.

Whilst I loved the countryside and knew a career in agriculture would likely be on the horizon, the call to a busy city and a degree in Politics was constantly at the forefront of my mind.

Breaking away from the traditional route of many young people in farming, I have been able to see first-hand the general public's outlook on food production and use this to educate and inspire those around me.

Despite what people may say, a degree in politics has a huge relationship with agriculture.

Policy change, international change and decisions in Westminster all shape the industry, and having a sound understanding of this is really important.

Throughout my time at university, I centred my studies around agriculture and other political areas of interest.

I was fortunate to undertake a placement year at Brown&Co, where I led a government project providing free farm consultations to businesses across England.

This allowed ample opportunity to see how policy change, notably Basic Payment Scheme reductions, affected all kinds of farmers across the country.

This was a huge stepping stone into my career in agriculture.

After completing my placement year, I worked a harvest in a grain lab, an internship at Fisher German, work experience at Savills, part-time work at a dairy farm and assisting in a lambing season - all before finishing my final year!

After graduation, I worked another summer at a farm near Liverpool and I am now heading to Australia in October to complete a second harvest.

My extensive experience over the last two years resulted from not ‘coming from a farming family'. Putting my name out there and asking for experience proved invaluable and set me up for a long-term career in the industry.

I absolutely love working in agriculture and it's given me opportunities to explore different sectors and meet so many people.

As I continue to grow in confidence and skills, I have occasionally felt the internal pressure of not having farming roots.

Ãļ§Ö±²¥ are so willing to teach and take you on, so for anyone reading this thinking they cannot enter this industry because their parents were not farmers, I am proof that you can.

More on Young Farmer Focus

Young Farmer Focus - Evie Winston: "Unfortunately, Britain's wet weather only gets wetter"

Young Farmer Focus - Evie Winston: "Unfortunately, Britain's wet weather only gets wetter"

Evie Winston, 17, works for land drainage company BPG Contractors, and she is from Oldham in Greater Manchester

clock 12 September 2024 • 2 min read
Young Farmer Focus - Alexandra Godfrey: "Everyone has a place in the rural sector"

Young Farmer Focus - Alexandra Godfrey: "Everyone has a place in the rural sector"

Alexandra Godfrey, 21, is from Newbury in Berkshire. She has recently completed an Agricultural degree at the Royal Agricultural University (RAU) and has served as the establishment's president of the student union.

clock 09 September 2024 • 2 min read
Young Farmer Focus - Jon Watt: "The sheer effort involved in putting good food on the table deserves our appreciation"

Young Farmer Focus - Jon Watt: "The sheer effort involved in putting good food on the table deserves our appreciation"

Jon Watt, 27, is an NFU Student and Young Farmer ambassador East. He works at his family's beef farm near Woodbridge in Suffolk

clock 31 August 2024 • 2 min read